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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. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  7. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  8. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  9. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. craft — a skill
  4. firm — decided
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. wind — to turn a key
  7. board — a committee
  8. face — to point toward
  9. firm — a company
  10. wind — moving air
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. firm — steady
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. face — part of the head
  17. wind — moving air
  18. craft — boats
  19. face — to confront
  20. pound — a weight
  21. board — to get on
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. pound — to hit hard

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