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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: ball · leaves · cap · court · craft · race · stick · fork

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  4. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  21. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  22. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. race — the arms race
  4. race — humankind
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. ball — a dance
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. race — a contest
  9. court — of a king
  10. cap — of ice
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. cap — a lid
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. ball — a great time
  15. craft — boats
  16. fork — in a road
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. court — of law
  19. court — for sport
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. fork — a garden tool
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. cap — a hat

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