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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 116 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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  12. The light ________________ burned out.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  22. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. David sat on the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. kid — to tease
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. firm — decided
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. sharp — clever
  8. firm — steady
  9. swing — in golf
  10. swing — music
  11. bulb — of a plant
  12. bulb — for light
  13. perch — the fish
  14. key — the most important part
  15. key — for a lock
  16. bulb — for light
  17. kid — child
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. firm — a company
  20. craft — a skill
  21. perch — for a bird
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. key — in music
  24. swing — to play on

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