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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The King held a masked ________________.
  5. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  6. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  7. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  12. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. ball — a dance
  5. mark — a grade
  6. pitch — a sports field
  7. ball — a great time
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. craft — a skill
  11. jam — a tight spot
  12. fine — all right
  13. craft — boats
  14. pitch — completely
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. mark — a trace
  18. fine — high quality
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. deal — to handle
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. coach — pulled by horses

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