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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. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  3. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. There's no middle ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. ground — the earth
  3. ground — crushed
  4. rest — what's left
  5. suit — clothes
  6. spring — the season
  7. suit — to fit
  8. rest — what's left
  9. craft — a skill
  10. rest — a break
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. hand — help
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. hand — in cards
  15. chip — for betting
  16. ground — a position
  17. craft — boats
  18. spring — a coil
  19. hand — part of the body
  20. chip — to eat
  21. spring — of water
  22. chip — in a computer
  23. suit — in cards
  24. cabinet — ministers

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