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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  11. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. She's very handy with a ________________.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. He works in a ________________ mill.
  16. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  19. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  24. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. craft — boats
  4. file — a document
  5. season — in sport
  6. tear — to rip
  7. firm — a company
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. tear — from crying
  11. safe — a strongbox
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. saw — the tool
  14. file — a line of people
  15. saw — the tool
  16. saw — past of 'see'
  17. craft — a skill
  18. chair — a leader
  19. tear — from crying
  20. firm — decided
  21. season — of the year
  22. firm — steady
  23. chair — to sit on
  24. file — a tool

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