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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 120 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: mine · craft · court · current · ball · arm · face · cabinet

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  4. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  16. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. court — of a king
  3. current — of water
  4. face — part of the head
  5. court — for sport
  6. current — electric
  7. craft — a skill
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. current — happening now
  10. court — of law
  11. ball — a dance
  12. face — to point toward
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. arm — a part of something
  16. face — to confront
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. craft — boats
  22. ball — a great time
  23. mine — for digging
  24. cabinet — ministers

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