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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  5. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  6. There's no middle ________________.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  16. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  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. lash — to lash out
  2. craft — boats
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. leaves — to go away
  5. club — a group
  6. ground — a position
  7. ground — crushed
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. branch — of a bank
  10. bore — to drill
  11. bore — to tire
  12. club — for golf
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. deal — to handle
  16. club — for dancing
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. branch — a division
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. ground — the earth
  23. bore — gave birth
  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