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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. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. The light ________________ burned out.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. game — wild animals
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. shower — to wash
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. game — a match
  7. bulb — for light
  8. fine — high quality
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. can — a tin
  11. craft — a skill
  12. fine — all right
  13. cap — a lid
  14. can — a tin
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. bulb — for light
  18. shower — rain
  19. can — to be able to
  20. cap — of ice
  21. craft — boats
  22. cap — a hat
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. fine — a penalty

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