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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  6. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. David sat on the ________________.
  16. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  22. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. bass — low music
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. charge — in control
  6. mark — a trace
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. season — in sport
  9. charge — electricity
  10. swing — in golf
  11. craft — boats
  12. mark — a grade
  13. season — of the year
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. swing — to play on
  16. root — the cause
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. deal — to handle
  19. root — of a plant
  20. bass — the fish
  21. deal — a big deal
  22. swing — music
  23. charge — a price
  24. root — of a word

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