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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. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  11. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. Don't do anything ________________.
  19. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  24. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. wind — moving air
  3. craft — a skill
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. craft — boats
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. march — music
  8. land — to come down
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. wind — moving air
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. march — the month
  14. march — the month
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. rash — hasty
  19. wind — to turn a key
  20. land — ground
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. land — a country
  24. racket — a loud noise

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