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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. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  3. I've got to change the light ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  24. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. scale — in music
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. craft — boats
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. bulb — for light
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. pass — a permit
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. craft — a skill
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. patient — calm and waiting
  24. scale — size or range

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