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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. Where did you ________________ them?
  22. We're on a ________________ here.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. degree — from a university
  4. suit — to fit
  5. degree — an amount
  6. firm — a company
  7. degree — temperature
  8. firm — steady
  9. saw — the tool
  10. roll — a list
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. craft — a skill
  13. ball — a dance
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. craft — boats
  16. mug — a cup
  17. suit — in cards
  18. saw — the tool
  19. roll — a cake
  20. mug — a face
  21. mug — to rob
  22. roll — on a roll
  23. suit — clothes
  24. firm — decided

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