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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. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  18. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  21. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  22. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. saw — the tool
  4. wind — moving air
  5. craft — boats
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. saw — the tool
  8. object — a thing
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. chip — to eat
  11. mark — a trace
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. mark — a grade
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. object — to protest
  18. pitch — completely
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. object — an aim
  21. wind — moving air
  22. chip — for betting
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. craft — a skill

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