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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. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  18. The tickets are free of ________________.
  19. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  20. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. track — to keep track
  3. craft — boats
  4. charge — electricity
  5. last — to go on
  6. track — a song
  7. perch — the fish
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. last — finally
  13. chair — a leader
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. perch — for a bird
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. charge — a price
  19. chair — to sit on
  20. track — a path
  21. craft — a skill
  22. charge — in control
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. last — final

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