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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 pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. You don't need to ________________ round.
  7. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  24. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. game — wild animals
  3. season — of the year
  4. pop — music
  5. pop — soda
  6. pop — to visit
  7. charge — electricity
  8. net — for catching
  9. craft — boats
  10. net — after costs
  11. season — in sport
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. fan — to cool the air
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. charge — a price
  17. game — a match
  18. net — in sport
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. craft — a skill
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. charge — in control

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