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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 116 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. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  6. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  7. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  10. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  13. The ________________ market has crashed.
  14. He is an ace ________________.
  15. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  21. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  22. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. fan — to cool the air
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. wind — moving air
  6. ruler — a monarch
  7. pitch — completely
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. stock — goods
  12. snap — to snap out of it
  13. stock — shares
  14. pitcher — in baseball
  15. wind — moving air
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. craft — a skill
  20. stock — a soup base
  21. pitcher — a jug
  22. snap — to click
  23. craft — boats
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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