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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 120 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 ________________ is just a dried plum.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  23. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  24. ________________ games are popular in Germany.

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

Answer key

  1. prune — the fruit
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. board — to get on
  5. rash — a series
  6. prune — to trim
  7. craft — a skill
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. foot — part of the body
  10. rash — hasty
  11. shower — to wash
  12. shower — rain
  13. craft — boats
  14. foot — a measure
  15. prune — to trim
  16. season — of the year
  17. land — a country
  18. season — in sport
  19. land — to come down
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. board — a committee
  22. shower — a meteor shower
  23. land — ground
  24. board — a flat piece

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