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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 116 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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  6. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. When are we going to ________________?
  12. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  13. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  14. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  21. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. craft — a skill
  5. land — ground
  6. squash — the sport
  7. craft — boats
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. bank — for money
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. land — to come down
  12. sharp — with an edge
  13. land — a country
  14. lean — thin
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. squash — to crush
  19. sharp — clever
  20. lean — to bend
  21. dip — to sink
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — of a river
  24. bowl — a dish

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