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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. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  2. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  3. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  11. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. My father caught me by the ________________.
  17. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  18. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. wind — moving air
  2. rash — on the skin
  3. prune — to trim
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. prune — to trim
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. rash — hasty
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. bear — the animal
  10. wound — an injury
  11. arm — part of the body
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. craft — boats
  14. suit — clothes
  15. bear — the animal
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. prune — the fruit
  18. wind — moving air
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. rash — a series
  21. craft — a skill
  22. wound — an injury
  23. suit — in cards
  24. suit — to fit

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