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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 124 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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  6. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  12. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  13. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. firm — a company
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. branch — of a bank
  6. jam — in traffic
  7. staff — a stick
  8. branch — of a tree
  9. firm — steady
  10. march — music
  11. march — the month
  12. branch — a division
  13. content — happy
  14. staff — employees
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. march — the month
  17. staff — employees
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — boats
  21. content — the amount
  22. deal — to handle
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. firm — decided

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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