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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 124 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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: net · pop · file · craft · jam · season · club · lie

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  5. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. We're almost out of ________________.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  24. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. file — a tool
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. net — for catching
  5. pop — music
  6. club — for dancing
  7. file — a document
  8. craft — a skill
  9. lie — to recline
  10. net — in sport
  11. file — a line of people
  12. pop — to visit
  13. net — after costs
  14. craft — boats
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. season — of the year
  17. season — in sport
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. club — for golf
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. pop — soda
  22. club — a group
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lie — an untruth

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