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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. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  12. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  18. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. tear — to rip
  3. spell — a short time
  4. craft — a skill
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. can — to be able to
  8. suit — in cards
  9. tear — from crying
  10. tear — from crying
  11. can — a tin
  12. suit — clothes
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. suit — to fit
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — magic
  18. can — a tin
  19. craft — boats
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — clever
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. jam — a tight spot
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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