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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.

Words on the sheet
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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: spring · current · craft · ball · rest · court · pit · wax

  1. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  4. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  5. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  10. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. spring — of water
  2. court — for sport
  3. wax — to grow
  4. pit — in a race
  5. rest — what's left
  6. ball — a dance
  7. rest — what's left
  8. pit — a hole
  9. current — of water
  10. court — of a king
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. spring — the season
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. rest — a break
  17. current — electric
  18. current — happening now
  19. craft — boats
  20. court — of law
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. ball — a great time
  23. craft — a skill
  24. spring — a coil

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