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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  3. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  4. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  10. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. My father caught me by the ________________.
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  20. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  23. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  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. content — the amount
  3. staff — a stick
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. staff — employees
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. hand — help
  10. staff — employees
  11. ball — a great time
  12. arm — part of the body
  13. ball — a dance
  14. hand — in cards
  15. craft — a skill
  16. mate — a partner
  17. mouse — for a computer
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. mate — to breed
  21. content — happy
  22. mate — a friend
  23. content — videos and posts
  24. craft — boats

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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