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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  14. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  15. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. rash — a series
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. craft — a skill
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. deal — an agreement
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. band — a ring
  14. dip — to dunk
  15. mine — an explosive
  16. deal — to handle
  17. band — a music group
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. mine — for digging
  20. rash — hasty
  21. craft — boats
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. dip — to sink
  24. mouse — the animal

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