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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. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  3. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  4. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  8. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  9. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  10. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. tear — from crying
  3. deal — an agreement
  4. bank — for money
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. craft — a skill
  7. tear — to rip
  8. tear — from crying
  9. wind — to turn a key
  10. bank — of a river
  11. bass — the fish
  12. wind — moving air
  13. craft — boats
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. bank — for money
  16. key — the most important part
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. wind — moving air
  20. key — in music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. jam — in traffic
  23. deal — to handle
  24. bass — low music

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