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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. You don't need to ________________ round.
  6. The light ________________ burned out.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  10. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  11. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  20. We're almost out of ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. pop — music
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. board — to get on
  5. pop — to visit
  6. bulb — for light
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. board — a committee
  9. bulb — of a plant
  10. squash — the sport
  11. kick — in football
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. bulb — for light
  14. squash — the vegetable
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. squash — to crush
  17. chair — a leader
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. kick — with a leg
  20. pop — soda
  21. pitch — completely
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. chair — a professorship
  24. craft — boats

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