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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 spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  10. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  11. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  12. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  13. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  17. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  18. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — a skill
  3. mark — a trace
  4. saw — the tool
  5. foot — part of the body
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. file — a document
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. capital — a city
  10. lean — to rest against
  11. capital — money
  12. saw — past of 'see'
  13. lean — thin
  14. mark — a grade
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. lean — to bend
  17. mine — for digging
  18. capital — a big letter
  19. craft — boats
  20. mine — an explosive
  21. file — a line of people
  22. foot — a measure
  23. file — a tool
  24. saw — the tool

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