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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  8. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  9. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  19. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — boats
  3. craft — a skill
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. bulb — for light
  6. present — there
  7. present — a gift
  8. sharp — clever
  9. shower — to wash
  10. pit — in a race
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. bound — obliged
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. bound — certain
  15. present — the time now
  16. last — to go on
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. last — final
  19. shower — rain
  20. bulb — for light
  21. last — finally
  22. bound — tied together
  23. pit — a hole
  24. shower — a meteor shower

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