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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  23. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  24. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. fall — the season
  4. club — for golf
  5. fall — to drop
  6. toast — a drink to someone
  7. craft — a skill
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. craft — boats
  10. jam — in traffic
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. jam — to spread on bread
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. club — a group
  17. toast — bread
  18. wind — to turn a key
  19. mark — a grade
  20. wind — moving air
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. club — for dancing
  23. wind — moving air
  24. fall — to drop

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