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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  3. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  14. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  23. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  24. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. net — in sport
  3. club — a group
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. season — in sport
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. hide — to keep secret
  8. staff — employees
  9. net — for catching
  10. season — of the year
  11. craft — a skill
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. club — for golf
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. club — for dancing
  16. staff — a stick
  17. craft — boats
  18. mine — an explosive
  19. net — after costs
  20. hide — animal skin
  21. staff — employees
  22. calf — of the leg
  23. calf — a young animal
  24. mine — belonging to me

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