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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. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. The ________________ went through the wall.
  10. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  16. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  17. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Have you met the new head ________________?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. trunk — of an elephant
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. pass — a permit
  6. straw — a straw man
  7. kid — to tease
  8. season — in sport
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. trunk — of a car
  11. craft — boats
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. season — of the year
  16. straw — dry grass
  17. straw — to clutch at straws
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. craft — a skill
  22. kid — child
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. kid — young goat (kid gloves)

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