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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: temple · craft · suit · bass · hand · scale · court · wake

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. When was this ________________ built?
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  15. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. The ball is in your ________________.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. I play ________________ in a jazz band.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. bass — low music
  3. court — of law
  4. suit — clothes
  5. hand — in cards
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. bass — the fish
  9. temple — a place of worship
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. craft — a skill
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. suit — to fit
  14. scale — in music
  15. hand — help
  16. scale — size or range
  17. court — for sport
  18. wake — a trail
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. wake — before a funeral
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. craft — boats
  23. suit — in cards
  24. bass — the instrument

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