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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. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  9. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  20. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.

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

Answer key

  1. club — a group
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. craft — a skill
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. snap — to snap out of it
  6. bear — the animal
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. suit — in cards
  9. snap — to click
  10. bear — the animal
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — of the year
  13. suit — to fit
  14. club — for dancing
  15. craft — boats
  16. suit — clothes
  17. club — for golf
  18. season — in sport
  19. scale — in music
  20. scale — size or range
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. trunk — of a tree

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