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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I've got to change the light ________________.
  7. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. He is an ace ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  18. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. My father caught me by the ________________.
  24. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — boats
  3. kid — child
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. fine — all right
  6. bulb — for light
  7. toast — a drink to someone
  8. bulb — for light
  9. toast — bread
  10. toast — the most admired
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. pitcher — in baseball
  13. kid — to tease
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. fine — high quality
  16. chip — for betting
  17. chip — to eat
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. craft — a skill
  20. pitcher — a jug
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. arm — a part of something

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