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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: court · race · bear · ground · bulb · craft · bay · suit

  1. There's no middle ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  11. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  12. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The ball is in your ________________.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. The light ________________ burned out.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. craft — boats
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. suit — to fit
  7. court — of a king
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. court — of law
  10. ground — crushed
  11. race — humankind
  12. race — a contest
  13. bear — the animal
  14. craft — a skill
  15. bulb — for light
  16. suit — in cards
  17. race — the arms race
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. court — for sport
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. bulb — for light
  23. ground — the earth
  24. suit — clothes

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