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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 120 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. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for golf
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. hide — to keep secret
  4. craft — boats
  5. club — for dancing
  6. cap — a lid
  7. foot — part of the body
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. racket — a loud noise
  10. craft — a skill
  11. cap — of ice
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. foot — a measure
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. club — a group
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. cap — a hat

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