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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.

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: game · snap · court · cue · bank · season · cabinet · craft

  1. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  7. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. That was a fun ________________.
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. craft — boats
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. cue — a hint
  5. court — for sport
  6. cue — a signal
  7. cabinet — a cupboard
  8. snap — to click
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. court — of law
  11. season — in sport
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. game — a match
  14. bank — for money
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. court — of a king
  18. cue — for pool
  19. season — of the year
  20. snap — to speak sharply
  21. craft — a skill
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. bank — for money
  24. bank — of a river

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