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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. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  20. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  21. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. My mare is ________________ in color.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. cap — a hat
  6. craft — a skill
  7. prune — to trim
  8. current — happening now
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. cap — of ice
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. prune — to trim
  15. craft — boats
  16. current — electric
  17. cap — a lid
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. bat — the animal
  20. bat — in an idiom
  21. prune — the fruit
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. bay — a horse colour
  24. current — of water

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