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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 116 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. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  6. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  16. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  17. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  21. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. wind — moving air
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. craft — a skill
  5. kick — in football
  6. content — videos and posts
  7. firm — a company
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. firm — steady
  10. present — there
  11. sharp — clever
  12. present — a gift
  13. firm — decided
  14. content — the amount
  15. bank — of a river
  16. present — the time now
  17. wind — moving air
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. kick — with a leg
  21. content — happy
  22. bank — for money
  23. bank — for money
  24. craft — boats

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