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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. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  3. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  4. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  5. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. We're almost out of ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. You don't need to ________________ round.
  17. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. face — to confront
  3. pop — music
  4. face — to point toward
  5. band — a music group
  6. spring — a coil
  7. band — a ring
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. face — part of the head
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. spring — of water
  14. pop — soda
  15. craft — boats
  16. pop — to visit
  17. cap — a lid
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. spring — the season
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. craft — a skill
  22. cap — a hat
  23. cap — of ice
  24. band — a rubber band

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