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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. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  13. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  19. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  23. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  24. The elephant has a huge ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. patient — a sick person
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. hand — help
  5. craft — a skill
  6. patient — calm and waiting
  7. craft — boats
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. firm — a company
  11. object — a thing
  12. hand — part of the body
  13. hand — in cards
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. firm — steady
  18. current — happening now
  19. current — electric
  20. firm — decided
  21. object — an aim
  22. object — to protest
  23. current — of water
  24. trunk — of an elephant

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