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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. staff — employees
  4. staff — employees
  5. row — a line
  6. rush — hurry
  7. present — there
  8. craft — boats
  9. row — a quarrel
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. bulb — for light
  12. present — a gift
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. present — the time now
  15. row — to paddle
  16. bulb — for light
  17. staff — a stick
  18. craft — a handicraft

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