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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. bear — the animal
  4. key — the most important part
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. fall — to drop
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. calf — a young animal
  9. craft — boats
  10. game — wild animals
  11. prune — the fruit
  12. fall — the season
  13. calf — of the leg
  14. bear — the animal
  15. game — a kind of play
  16. key — for a lock
  17. fall — to drop
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. prune — to trim
  21. game — a match
  22. key — in music
  23. prune — to trim
  24. craft — a skill

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