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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: jam · rule · mug · craft · racket · bat · trunk · court

  1. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  21. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. rule — a law
  5. court — of law
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. rule — government
  8. craft — a skill
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. rule — to rule out
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. mug — to rob
  13. trunk — of an elephant
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. mug — a face
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. bat — the animal
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. jam — to spread on bread
  21. mug — a cup
  22. court — for sport
  23. craft — boats
  24. court — of a king

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com