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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 116 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. suit — in cards
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. stand — on your feet
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. charge — in control
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. shower — to wash
  12. shower — a meteor shower
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. charge — a price
  15. suit — to fit
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. rush — hurry
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. craft — a skill
  20. shower — rain
  21. suit — clothes
  22. charge — electricity
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. stand — to bear

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