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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: craft · trunk · rule · bear · bass · march · fine · rash

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  6. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  7. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bear — the animal
  3. march — the month
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bass — the fish
  6. rash — a series
  7. march — music
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. rule — government
  12. craft — boats
  13. rash — hasty
  14. bass — low music
  15. fine — all right
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. march — the month
  18. craft — a skill
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. rule — a law
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. fine — high quality

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