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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  10. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  24. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. row — a line
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. rock — music
  6. rock — a stone
  7. content — the amount
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. content — happy
  10. row — a quarrel
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. craft — a skill
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. row — to paddle
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — a hole
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. craft — boats
  22. mark — a trace
  23. mark — a grade
  24. deal — to handle

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