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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: craft · tube · club · court · arm · lie · bay · ball

  1. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. My father caught me by the ________________.
  21. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  22. The ball is in your ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  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. ball — a round shape
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. craft — a skill
  5. tube — a container
  6. ball — a dance
  7. lie — to recline
  8. tube — the underground
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. craft — boats
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. ball — a great time
  16. court — of a king
  17. club — a group
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. club — for golf
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. club — for dancing
  22. court — for sport
  23. bay — a horse colour
  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