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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: cap · track · toast · object · game · court · craft · net

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  3. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. The ball is in your ________________.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. court — of a king
  3. object — an aim
  4. net — for catching
  5. court — of law
  6. track — a song
  7. craft — a skill
  8. object — a thing
  9. cap — a hat
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. track — a path
  13. game — a kind of play
  14. object — to protest
  15. cap — a lid
  16. net — in sport
  17. net — after costs
  18. track — to keep track
  19. craft — boats
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. court — for sport
  22. toast — bread
  23. game — a match
  24. cap — of ice

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