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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  12. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  13. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. spell — a short time
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. craft — boats
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. spell — letters
  7. rush — hurry
  8. club — for dancing
  9. craft — a skill
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. can — to be able to
  13. ball — a great time
  14. can — a tin
  15. club — for golf
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rush — to hurry
  18. lie — to recline
  19. club — a group
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. spell — magic
  22. ball — a dance
  23. can — a tin
  24. wave — of the sea

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