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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. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. That was ________________ to happen.
  5. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. Did you ________________ the meat?
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. season — in sport
  2. craft — a skill
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. bound — certain
  5. root — the cause
  6. suit — to fit
  7. craft — boats
  8. bound — tied together
  9. pitch — completely
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. deal — to handle
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. root — of a plant
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. bound — obliged
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. season — to add flavour
  20. suit — in cards
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. root — of a word
  23. season — of the year
  24. suit — clothes

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