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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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468
Word bank
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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. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  2. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  4. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  16. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  23. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. kid — to tease
  2. row — to paddle
  3. pitch — completely
  4. rest — a break
  5. fine — all right
  6. craft — a skill
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. rest — what's left
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. row — a line
  15. kid — child
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. rest — what's left
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. fine — high quality
  20. row — a quarrel
  21. craft — boats
  22. pitch — a sales talk
  23. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  24. fine — a penalty

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