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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  8. Did you ________________ the button?
  9. There's no middle ________________.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  23. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  24. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — boats
  3. club — for golf
  4. ground — the earth
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. bowl — a football final
  8. press — to push
  9. ground — a position
  10. club — for dancing
  11. scale — size or range
  12. sharp — clever
  13. current — happening now
  14. current — electric
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. ground — crushed
  19. club — a group
  20. current — of water
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. press — a publisher
  23. scale — in music
  24. press — newspapers

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