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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. What do you think of the new ________________?
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  17. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  18. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  19. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  20. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  21. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. craft — boats
  6. track — a path
  7. rush — hurry
  8. staff — a stick
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. leaves — lets stay
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — tied together
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. bound — obliged
  15. track — a song
  16. track — to keep track
  17. capital — money
  18. staff — employees
  19. capital — a big letter
  20. staff — employees
  21. capital — a city
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. leaves — to go away
  24. craft — a skill

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