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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  19. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. capital — a city
  5. craft — a skill
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. row — a quarrel
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. row — to paddle
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. prune — to trim
  17. capital — money
  18. prune — to trim
  19. row — a line
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. capital — a big letter

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