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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  5. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. False peace will not ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  22. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bear — the animal
  3. ground — the earth
  4. arm — part of the body
  5. chair — a leader
  6. mate — to breed
  7. last — final
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. last — to go on
  10. craft — a skill
  11. mate — a friend
  12. bear — the animal
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. last — finally
  16. arm — a part of something
  17. mate — a partner
  18. face — part of the head
  19. craft — boats
  20. ground — crushed
  21. face — to point toward
  22. face — to confront
  23. ground — a position
  24. chair — to sit on

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