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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. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  20. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. pitch — completely
  3. rash — hasty
  4. trunk — of a car
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. charge — in control
  7. game — a match
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. trunk — of an elephant
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. dip — to dunk
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. dip — to sink
  18. craft — a skill
  19. charge — electricity
  20. rash — a series
  21. charge — a price
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. craft — boats
  24. game — wild animals

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