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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: rule · bay · can · mark · court · temple · stand · craft

  1. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. rule — a law
  3. craft — a skill
  4. can — a tin
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. can — to be able to
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. rule — government
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. stand — to bear
  15. temple — a place of worship
  16. court — for sport
  17. craft — boats
  18. temple — side of the head
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. court — of a king
  21. rule — to rule out
  22. can — a tin
  23. mark — a grade
  24. court — of law

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