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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 120 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: mate · court · dip · craft · mouse · perch · mark · hand

  1. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. The ball is in your ________________.
  11. Have you found your soul ________________?
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. dip — a sauce
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. mark — a grade
  4. craft — a skill
  5. mark — a trace
  6. mate — a friend
  7. dip — to dunk
  8. perch — the fish
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. court — for sport
  11. mate — a partner
  12. court — of law
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. hand — help
  15. dip — to sink
  16. mate — to breed
  17. court — of a king
  18. hand — in cards
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. craft — boats
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. perch — for a bird

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