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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 124 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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. pit — in a race
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. march — the month
  5. craft — a skill
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. swing — music
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. chip — for betting
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. board — a committee
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. lie — to recline
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. craft — boats
  17. march — the month
  18. march — music
  19. board — to get on
  20. swing — to play on
  21. swing — in golf
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. chip — to eat

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