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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.

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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: pound · suit · mug · shower · court · saw · craft · bay

  1. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. court — of a king
  2. suit — to fit
  3. shower — rain
  4. mug — to rob
  5. pound — for dogs
  6. craft — boats
  7. court — of law
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. mug — a face
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. shower — to wash
  12. suit — in cards
  13. saw — the tool
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. suit — clothes
  16. court — for sport
  17. pound — to hit hard
  18. craft — a skill
  19. pound — a weight
  20. saw — the tool
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. mug — a cup
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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