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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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  8. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. spring — the season
  3. bat — in an idiom
  4. rest — what's left
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. date — the fruit
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. spring — of water
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. rest — what's left
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. craft — boats
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. rest — a break
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. bat — the animal
  20. craft — a skill
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. dip — to sink
  23. spring — a coil
  24. dip — a sauce

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