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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 120 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. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  17. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. The flowers bloom in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rock — a stone
  2. craft — boats
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. trunk — of a tree
  5. spring — of water
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. dip — to sink
  8. bass — the fish
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. spring — a coil
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. trunk — of an elephant
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. bass — low music
  17. dip — to dunk
  18. rock — music
  19. season — of the year
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. season — in sport
  22. craft — a skill
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. spring — the season

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