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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  15. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  16. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. Did you ________________ the button?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. press — a publisher
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. fall — to drop
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. capital — money
  7. craft — a skill
  8. wave — of the sea
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. fall — to drop
  11. vault — an arched ceiling
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. wave — with your hand
  15. fall — the season
  16. vault — a safe
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. capital — a city
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. press — to push
  21. craft — boats
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. press — newspapers
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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