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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  14. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  17. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  18. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  19. You don't need to ________________ round.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. board — to get on
  3. wind — to turn a key
  4. mine — for digging
  5. board — a committee
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. board — a flat piece
  8. rush — hurry
  9. craft — a skill
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. pop — soda
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. mine — an explosive
  15. craft — boats
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. pop — music
  18. safe — a strongbox
  19. pop — to visit
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. wind — moving air
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. wind — moving air
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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