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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 116 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 flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  14. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  19. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. spring — the season
  3. chip — in a computer
  4. chip — to eat
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. kid — to tease
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. kid — child
  10. craft — boats
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. hide — animal skin
  14. can — to be able to
  15. branch — a division
  16. can — a tin
  17. spring — of water
  18. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  19. branch — of a bank
  20. spring — a coil
  21. craft — a skill
  22. chip — for betting
  23. can — a tin
  24. hide — to keep secret

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