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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 120 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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  7. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  13. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. craft — a skill
  3. spell — magic
  4. row — a quarrel
  5. board — a committee
  6. band — a ring
  7. bay — a part of the sea
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. pound — a weight
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. board — a flat piece
  13. deal — to handle
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. row — a line
  16. craft — boats
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. row — to paddle
  19. spell — a short time
  20. band — a music group
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. board — to get on
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. spell — letters

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