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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: court · drill · press · craft · bulb · scale · date · sharp

  1. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  9. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  10. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The ball is in your ________________.
  13. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  18. The light ________________ burned out.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. press — newspapers
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. drill — the tool
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. court — of law
  8. scale — in music
  9. court — of a king
  10. scale — size or range
  11. craft — a skill
  12. court — for sport
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. sharp — clever
  15. drill — a practice
  16. drill — army training
  17. press — a publisher
  18. bulb — for light
  19. press — to push
  20. craft — boats
  21. bulb — for light
  22. date — the fruit
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. sharp — exactly

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