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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The ________________ market has crashed.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. You don't need to ________________ round.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  24. We're almost out of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. lie — to recline
  3. stock — shares
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. craft — a skill
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. swing — music
  8. hand — help
  9. swing — in golf
  10. craft — boats
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. pitch — completely
  14. stock — goods
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. pop — music
  17. swing — to play on
  18. pop — to visit
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. rush — hurry
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. hand — in cards
  24. pop — soda

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