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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. fine — high quality
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. arm — a part of something
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. face — part of the head
  7. craft — boats
  8. fine — all right
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. face — to point toward
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. toast — bread
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. kid — child
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. kid — to tease
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. face — to confront
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. arm — part of the body

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