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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I've got to change the light ________________.
  5. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. fine — all right
  4. bulb — for light
  5. bulb — of a plant
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. ball — a great time
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. pound — a weight
  11. craft — a skill
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. ball — a dance
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. fine — high quality
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. bulb — for light
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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