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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. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  18. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. board — to get on
  6. bear — the animal
  7. bear — the animal
  8. chip — for betting
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. net — for catching
  11. chip — to eat
  12. wound — an injury
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. craft — boats
  15. wound — an injury
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. chip — in a computer
  18. net — in sport
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. board — a committee
  22. craft — a skill
  23. net — after costs
  24. nail — for a hammer

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