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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · craft · last · row · court · trunk · game · key

  1. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. False peace will not ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. key — for a lock
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. game — a match
  8. last — to go on
  9. court — of a king
  10. last — final
  11. trunk — of a tree
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. row — to paddle
  14. game — wild animals
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. key — the most important part
  17. trunk — of a car
  18. key — in music
  19. craft — a skill
  20. court — of law
  21. court — for sport
  22. last — finally
  23. craft — boats
  24. lash — to lash out

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