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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  8. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  16. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. straw — a straw man
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. wake — to stop sleeping
  8. straw — to clutch at straws
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. craft — a skill
  11. suit — to fit
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. suit — clothes
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. straw — dry grass
  16. suit — in cards
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. craft — boats

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