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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
468
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: lash · net · craft · court · degree · lean · toast · leaves

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  4. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. court — of a king
  3. toast — bread
  4. degree — an amount
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. net — for catching
  8. court — for sport
  9. craft — boats
  10. lean — to bend
  11. degree — temperature
  12. net — after costs
  13. lean — thin
  14. court — of law
  15. toast — the most admired
  16. craft — a skill
  17. degree — from a university
  18. net — in sport
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. toast — a drink to someone
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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