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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.

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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: present · snap · court · suit · net · bowl · firm · craft

  1. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  11. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  14. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. net — for catching
  4. suit — in cards
  5. net — in sport
  6. court — of law
  7. craft — a skill
  8. court — of a king
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. snap — to speak sharply
  11. firm — decided
  12. present — the time now
  13. present — there
  14. net — after costs
  15. firm — a company
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bowl — to roll
  19. snap — to click
  20. snap — to snap out of it
  21. firm — steady
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — boats
  24. court — for sport

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