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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  15. He is an ace ________________.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. jam — in traffic
  3. mate — a partner
  4. kick — in football
  5. craft — a skill
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. mate — a friend
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. coach — a trainer
  10. mate — to breed
  11. craft — boats
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. kick — a thrill
  15. pitcher — in baseball
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. jam — to spread on bread

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