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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  4. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  5. The water is too ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  23. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — boats
  3. safe — a strongbox
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. cold — not warm
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. craft — a skill
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. swing — music
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. cold — the Cold War
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. foot — a measure
  16. swing — in golf
  17. cold — an illness
  18. swing — to play on
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. deal — to handle
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. foot — the bottom
  23. rush — hurry
  24. safe — out of danger

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