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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 120 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. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. I've got to change the light ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  15. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. straw — to clutch at straws
  3. rule — government
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. rule — a law
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. straw — dry grass
  9. craft — boats
  10. last — final
  11. bulb — for light
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. pitch — completely
  17. last — finally
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. last — to go on
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. craft — a skill
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. bulb — for light
  24. rule — to rule out

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