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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 120 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. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Where did you ________________ them?
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. That was ________________ to happen.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. pop — soda
  3. season — in sport
  4. pop — music
  5. mug — a cup
  6. lean — to bend
  7. mug — to rob
  8. bound — tied together
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bound — obliged
  11. pop — to visit
  12. bound — certain
  13. craft — boats
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. season — of the year
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lean — thin
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. mug — a face
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. lean — to rest against

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