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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 120 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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  21. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  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. rock — to move gently
  2. craft — boats
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. calf — a young animal
  5. pit — in a race
  6. rock — a stone
  7. march — music
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. craft — a skill
  15. march — the month
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. sharp — clever
  18. pit — a hole
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. wax — for sculpting
  21. wax — to grow
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. rock — music
  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