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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. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. mug — to rob
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. mark — a grade
  5. suit — clothes
  6. game — a match
  7. suit — in cards
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. mug — a face
  10. game — a kind of play
  11. craft — a skill
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. game — wild animals
  14. craft — boats
  15. mark — a trace
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. roll — a cake
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. roll — a list
  21. suit — to fit
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. cabinet — ministers
  24. mug — a cup

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