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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 124 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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  3. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  17. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  18. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  19. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  20. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. lean — to rest against
  3. pound — a weight
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. chip — for betting
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. chip — to eat
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. season — in sport
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. present — the time now
  12. lean — thin
  13. craft — boats
  14. season — of the year
  15. present — a gift
  16. deal — a big deal
  17. present — there
  18. lean — to bend
  19. plane — a tool
  20. plane — in geometry
  21. deal — to handle
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. craft — a skill

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