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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  13. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  14. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  15. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. He is an ace ________________.
  19. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. capital — money
  3. rush — hurry
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. craft — a skill
  6. firm — decided
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. lie — an untruth
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. firm — a company
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. content — the amount
  13. capital — a big letter
  14. firm — steady
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. pitcher — in baseball
  19. content — happy
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. capital — a city
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. lie — to recline
  24. craft — boats

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