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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.

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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 · craft · lie · chip · pitch · rule · court · bay

  1. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  2. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of law
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. lie — to recline
  5. court — of a king
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. chip — to eat
  10. craft — boats
  11. rule — to rule out
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. rule — government
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. chip — for betting
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. pitch — completely
  18. craft — a skill
  19. rule — a law
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. court — for sport
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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