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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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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: craft · chip · date · deal · hide · bowl · court · mark

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. mark — a trace
  5. court — of law
  6. craft — boats
  7. date — the fruit
  8. court — for sport
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. mark — a grade
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. chip — to eat
  16. chip — in a computer
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. chip — for betting
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. deal — to handle
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. craft — a skill
  24. bowl — a dish

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