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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. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  6. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. Have you settled on a ________________?
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  24. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. foot — a measure
  4. branch — a division
  5. kick — with a leg
  6. lean — thin
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. kick — a thrill
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. lean — to bend
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. deal — to handle
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. craft — boats
  19. lean — to rest against
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. kick — in football
  24. date — the fruit

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