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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. That was a fun ________________.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. prune — to trim
  6. game — wild animals
  7. swing — music
  8. wake — before a funeral
  9. firm — steady
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. wake — a trail
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. craft — a skill
  15. game — a match
  16. firm — a company
  17. firm — decided
  18. deal — to handle
  19. swing — to play on
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. swing — in golf
  24. prune — to trim

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