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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. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  12. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  17. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  22. Did you ________________ the meat?
  23. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. rash — on the skin
  4. deal — to handle
  5. present — a gift
  6. spring — the season
  7. craft — boats
  8. craft — a skill
  9. kick — a thrill
  10. rash — hasty
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. kick — with a leg
  13. season — of the year
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. present — there
  16. rash — a series
  17. kick — in football
  18. season — in sport
  19. spring — a coil
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. spring — of water
  22. season — to add flavour
  23. hide — to keep secret
  24. present — the time now

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