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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. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. David sat on the ________________.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  10. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  11. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  19. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  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. capital — money
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. craft — a skill
  5. swing — to play on
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. dip — to sink
  9. wind — moving air
  10. straw — a straw man
  11. straw — to clutch at straws
  12. wind — moving air
  13. swing — music
  14. jam — in traffic
  15. capital — a city
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. pass — a permit
  18. jam — to spread on bread
  19. swing — in golf
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. jam — a tight spot
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. dip — a sauce
  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