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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  9. It's one o'clock ________________.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. How do you ________________ your surname?
  18. The King held a masked ________________.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Biology is a ________________ of science.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. spell — magic
  3. charge — electricity
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. mate — a partner
  6. branch — of a bank
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. charge — in control
  9. sharp — exactly
  10. mate — a friend
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. mate — to breed
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. craft — boats
  15. craft — a skill
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. spell — letters
  18. ball — a dance
  19. sharp — clever
  20. ball — a great time
  21. spell — a short time
  22. charge — a price
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. branch — a division

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