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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  22. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  23. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. toast — the most admired
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. toast — bread
  6. mine — belonging to me
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. rest — a break
  9. prune — to trim
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. craft — boats
  18. rest — what's left
  19. craft — a skill
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. mine — an explosive
  22. prune — to trim
  23. mine — for digging
  24. rest — what's left

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