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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. rash — hasty
  3. calf — of the leg
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. rash — on the skin
  6. craft — boats
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. net — after costs
  11. craft — a skill
  12. pitch — completely
  13. bank — for money
  14. bank — for money
  15. net — in sport
  16. rush — hurry
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. rush — to hurry
  21. rash — a series
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. net — for catching
  24. bank — of a river

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