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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
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: court · kid · stem · dip · craft · sharp · ball · lie

  1. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  15. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. stem — a stem cell
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. craft — boats
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. dip — to sink
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. ball — a dance
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. court — of law
  11. court — of a king
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. sharp — clever
  14. lie — an untruth
  15. stem — to come from
  16. court — for sport
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. kid — child
  20. kid — to tease
  21. ball — a great time
  22. lie — an untruth
  23. craft — a skill
  24. lie — to recline

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