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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. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  5. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  6. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. suit — to fit
  3. fine — all right
  4. shower — rain
  5. face — to point toward
  6. stock — goods
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. face — to confront
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. face — part of the head
  11. march — the month
  12. craft — boats
  13. mate — a partner
  14. stock — a soup base
  15. mate — to breed
  16. suit — clothes
  17. craft — a skill
  18. shower — to wash
  19. mate — a friend
  20. march — the month
  21. suit — in cards
  22. stock — shares
  23. march — music
  24. fine — high quality

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