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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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  22. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  23. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  24. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. pit — in a race
  4. game — a match
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. craft — a skill
  8. track — a path
  9. craft — boats
  10. march — the month
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mate — a partner
  13. march — music
  14. mouse — the animal
  15. game — wild animals
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. pit — a hole
  18. fan — to cool the air
  19. mate — a friend
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. mate — to breed
  22. track — to keep track
  23. game — a kind of play
  24. march — the month

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