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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  13. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  14. The ________________ market has crashed.
  15. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  16. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  19. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  20. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. season — in sport
  3. stand — to bear
  4. vault — in gymnastics
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. season — of the year
  9. march — music
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. saw — the tool
  12. vault — an arched ceiling
  13. vault — a safe
  14. stock — shares
  15. march — the month
  16. stock — goods
  17. saw — the tool
  18. stock — a soup base
  19. spring — a coil
  20. march — the month
  21. craft — boats
  22. spring — of water
  23. spring — the season
  24. stand — for spectators

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