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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. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. The ball is in your ________________.
  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. stick — a piece of wood
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. mark — a trace
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. wound — an injury
  7. court — of a king
  8. wound — an injury
  9. clip — for paper
  10. clip — a video
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. stick — a piece of wood
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. craft — a skill
  16. court — of law
  17. pit — in a race
  18. clip — to cut
  19. pit — a hole
  20. mark — a grade
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. court — for sport
  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