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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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. wind — moving air
  3. can — a tin
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. can — to be able to
  6. can — a tin
  7. stand — to bear
  8. season — in sport
  9. arm — a part of something
  10. mate — a friend
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. mate — a partner
  13. mate — to breed
  14. season — of the year
  15. chest — of your body
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. wind — moving air
  18. craft — boats
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. craft — a skill
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. chest — a box
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. chest — of your body

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