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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  9. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. rock — a stone
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. kid — child
  5. bear — the animal
  6. object — to protest
  7. mark — a trace
  8. rock — music
  9. hide — animal skin
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. object — a thing
  13. craft — boats
  14. mark — a grade
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. bear — the animal
  19. kid — to tease
  20. object — an aim
  21. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. sharp — clever
  24. bear — to put up with

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