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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 116 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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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: straw · mouse · perch · kick · court · mug · craft · ball

  1. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  7. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  14. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. The ball is in your ________________.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. court — of a king
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. kick — a thrill
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. straw — to clutch at straws
  7. kick — in football
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. mug — a face
  10. perch — the fish
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. perch — for a bird
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. mug — a cup
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. court — of law
  19. court — for sport
  20. ball — a great time
  21. craft — boats
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. mug — to rob

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