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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  12. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  13. Did you ________________ the meat?
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  20. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  21. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. When will it ________________ you to start?
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — clever
  2. craft — a skill
  3. lie — to recline
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. craft — boats
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. season — of the year
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. season — in sport
  11. swing — music
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. season — to add flavour
  14. swing — in golf
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. suit — in cards
  17. swing — to play on
  18. rash — hasty
  19. rash — a series
  20. trunk — of a tree
  21. trunk — of a car
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. suit — to fit
  24. suit — clothes

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