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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  6. Don't do anything ________________.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The ________________ took off on time.
  16. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  17. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — boats
  3. ruler — a monarch
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. stick — to attach or keep to
  6. rash — hasty
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pit — a hole
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. plane — a tool
  13. craft — a skill
  14. foot — a measure
  15. plane — an aircraft
  16. plane — in geometry
  17. foot — part of the body
  18. pit — in a race
  19. clip — for paper
  20. clip — to cut
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. rash — a series
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. clip — a video

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