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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  4. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  5. Did you ________________ the button?
  6. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Don't do anything ________________.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. rash — a series
  3. press — newspapers
  4. drill — the tool
  5. press — to push
  6. club — a group
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. drill — a practice
  9. track — a path
  10. drill — army training
  11. rash — hasty
  12. track — a song
  13. craft — boats
  14. snap — to click
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. press — a publisher
  17. track — to keep track
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. club — for dancing
  20. rash — on the skin
  21. club — for golf
  22. craft — a skill
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. cabinet — a cupboard

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