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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. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  21. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. object — an aim
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. mark — a grade
  7. rush — hurry
  8. object — to protest
  9. rock — music
  10. mark — a trace
  11. clip — to cut
  12. craft — boats
  13. craft — a skill
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. fork — a garden tool
  16. clip — a video
  17. fork — in a road
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. object — a thing
  21. clip — for paper
  22. rock — a stone
  23. rush — a thrill
  24. fork — to eat with

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