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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. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  5. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. content — happy
  2. craft — a skill
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. branch — a division
  5. content — the amount
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. branch — of a tree
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. craft — boats
  12. content — videos and posts
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. sharp — clever
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. branch — of a bank
  19. lean — to bend
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. lean — thin
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. lash — to lash 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