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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  10. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. kid — child
  3. craft — boats
  4. craft — a skill
  5. staff — employees
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. object — to protest
  10. board — to get on
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. kid — to tease
  13. fine — all right
  14. staff — employees
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. staff — a stick
  17. bulb — for light
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. object — an aim
  22. fine — high quality
  23. board — a committee
  24. bulb — for light

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