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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. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  3. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  4. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  15. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  19. I can't ________________ this cold.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. trunk — of a car
  3. trunk — of an elephant
  4. stand — for spectators
  5. march — music
  6. current — happening now
  7. march — the month
  8. object — a thing
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. craft — a skill
  11. march — the month
  12. object — an aim
  13. craft — boats
  14. present — a gift
  15. stand — on your feet
  16. bear — the animal
  17. present — there
  18. current — electric
  19. stand — to bear
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. present — the time now
  22. current — of water
  23. object — to protest
  24. bear — the animal

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