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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. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  10. I've got to change the light ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. craft — a skill
  4. chip — for betting
  5. prune — to trim
  6. prune — the fruit
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. bulb — for light
  9. prune — to trim
  10. bulb — for light
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — of the year
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. chip — to eat
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. season — in sport
  19. rush — hurry
  20. craft — boats
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. march — the month
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. march — the month

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