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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. craft — boats
  3. scale — size or range
  4. deal — to handle
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. pit — in a race
  7. pit — a hole
  8. board — to get on
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. scale — in music
  13. prune — to trim
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. board — a committee
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. sharp — clever
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. craft — a skill
  24. prune — to trim

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