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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. That was ________________ to happen.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hide — to keep secret
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bound — obliged
  4. craft — boats
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. racket — a loud noise
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. craft — a skill
  11. pit — a hole
  12. ball — a dance
  13. bound — certain
  14. pit — in a race
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. ball — a great time
  17. bound — tied together
  18. ball — a round shape

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