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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 116 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. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  3. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. lie — an untruth
  3. lie — to recline
  4. club — for golf
  5. present — a gift
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. swing — in golf
  10. club — for dancing
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. can — a tin
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. craft — boats
  15. present — there
  16. club — a group
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. present — the time now
  19. can — a tin
  20. ball — a great time
  21. ball — a dance
  22. swing — to play on
  23. swing — music
  24. can — to be able to

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