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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. band — a ring
  3. fall — the season
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. season — of the year
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. current — electric
  8. spring — the season
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. craft — a skill
  11. band — a rubber band
  12. season — in sport
  13. pass — a permit
  14. spring — of water
  15. fall — to drop
  16. fall — to drop
  17. craft — boats
  18. spring — a coil
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. current — happening now
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. current — of water
  24. band — a music group

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