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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 spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  7. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I've got to change the light ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. hand — part of the body
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. kick — with a leg
  7. hand — in cards
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. bulb — for light
  10. hand — help
  11. key — the most important part
  12. kick — in football
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. bark — a dog's sound
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. rule — a law
  19. craft — boats
  20. rule — government
  21. bark — to shout
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. bulb — for light
  24. key — in music

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