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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. bank — of a river
  3. pit — in a race
  4. content — happy
  5. mate — a friend
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. pop — to visit
  8. content — the amount
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. pit — a hole
  11. present — a gift
  12. bank — for money
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. present — there
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. craft — a skill
  17. present — the time now
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. craft — boats
  20. mate — a partner
  21. pop — soda
  22. bank — for money
  23. mate — to breed
  24. pop — music

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