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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. The King held a masked ________________.
  16. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  24. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. present — a gift
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. deal — to handle
  6. field — a subject
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. ball — a great time
  9. ruler — a monarch
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. field — farmland
  12. craft — boats
  13. deal — a big deal
  14. field — for sport
  15. ball — a dance
  16. present — there
  17. present — the time now
  18. rest — a break
  19. fall — to drop
  20. fall — the season
  21. rest — what's left
  22. fall — to drop
  23. rest — what's left
  24. ruler — for measuring

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