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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. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  7. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. pop — to visit
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. trunk — of a car
  7. fan — to cool the air
  8. pop — music
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. trunk — of an elephant
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. pop — soda
  15. craft — boats
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. craft — a skill
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. ruler — a monarch
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. jam — in traffic

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