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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. It's one o'clock ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — to rob
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. pop — soda
  4. bank — for money
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. craft — boats
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. deal — a big deal
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. mug — a face
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. pop — music
  14. deal — to handle
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. mug — a cup
  17. sharp — clever
  18. sharp — exactly
  19. craft — a skill
  20. pop — to visit
  21. bank — of a river
  22. bank — for money
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. sharp — with an edge

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