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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. He is an ace ________________.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Fill up this ________________ with water.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. craft — boats
  3. staff — a stick
  4. pitcher — in baseball
  5. bear — the animal
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. staff — employees
  9. band — a ring
  10. bear — the animal
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. craft — a skill
  13. net — after costs
  14. pop — music
  15. staff — employees
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. band — a music group
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. pop — to visit
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. net — for catching
  22. pop — soda
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. pitcher — a jug

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