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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. That was ________________ to happen.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. Where did you ________________ them?
  10. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  11. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  12. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  20. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. capital — a big letter
  3. prune — to trim
  4. staff — employees
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. bound — certain
  7. pop — to visit
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. mug — to rob
  10. pop — music
  11. staff — a stick
  12. capital — money
  13. capital — a city
  14. bound — obliged
  15. staff — employees
  16. craft — boats
  17. prune — to trim
  18. craft — a skill
  19. mug — a face
  20. bound — tied together
  21. pop — soda
  22. ball — a dance
  23. ball — a great time
  24. mug — a cup

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