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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 116 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  9. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  23. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — boats
  3. stand — to bear
  4. rest — a break
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. row — a line
  7. row — to paddle
  8. row — a quarrel
  9. rest — what's left
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. saw — the tool
  13. saw — the tool
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — in a race
  16. pit — a hole
  17. hand — in cards
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. craft — a skill
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. hand — help
  22. bass — the fish
  23. bass — low music
  24. rest — what's left

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