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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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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. fall — to drop
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — boats
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. craft — a skill
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. chip — to eat
  10. rest — what's left
  11. fall — to drop
  12. rest — a break
  13. rest — what's left
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. chip — for betting
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — lets stay

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