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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  15. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  16. He is an ace ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. pitcher — a jug
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. pitcher — a jug
  6. swing — in golf
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. ground — a position
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. suit — to fit
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. craft — a skill
  14. ground — the earth
  15. ground — crushed
  16. pitcher — in baseball
  17. craft — boats
  18. suit — clothes
  19. swing — to play on
  20. suit — in cards
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. swing — music

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