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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. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  6. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  7. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. It's one o'clock ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. net — in sport
  5. net — for catching
  6. net — after costs
  7. track — a song
  8. mug — a cup
  9. pit — a fruit stone
  10. ball — a great time
  11. mug — a face
  12. bear — to put up with
  13. craft — boats
  14. mug — to rob
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pit — a hole
  18. track — a path
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pit — in a race
  22. ball — a dance
  23. sharp — exactly
  24. track — to keep track

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