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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  16. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. There's no middle ________________.
  20. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  24. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  3. craft — a skill
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. firm — a company
  6. pitch — completely
  7. track — a path
  8. bore — to tire
  9. firm — steady
  10. kid — to tease
  11. track — to keep track
  12. ground — the earth
  13. craft — boats
  14. track — a song
  15. bore — to drill
  16. bore — gave birth
  17. firm — decided
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. ground — a position
  20. pitch — a sales talk
  21. ground — crushed
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. kid — child
  24. pitch — a sports field

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