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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  3. The light ________________ burned out.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Have you met the new head ________________?
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  16. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bulb — of a plant
  3. bulb — for light
  4. pit — a hole
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. craft — boats
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bulb — for light
  13. capital — a city
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. calf — a young animal
  16. capital — money
  17. craft — a skill
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. capital — a big letter

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