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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  4. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  5. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. kid — to tease
  4. bank — of a river
  5. fan — to cool the air
  6. lean — to bend
  7. lean — to rest against
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. craft — a skill
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. fine — high quality
  15. lean — thin
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. kid — child
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. pit — a hole
  20. bank — for money
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. pit — in a race
  23. fine — all right
  24. bank — for money

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