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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  9. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  19. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  20. He works in a ________________ mill.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. fine — all right
  7. saw — the tool
  8. coach — pulled by horses
  9. leaves — of a tree
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. fine — high quality
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. ball — a great time
  16. craft — boats
  17. dip — to sink
  18. dip — a sauce
  19. wave — a sudden rise
  20. saw — the tool
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. ball — a dance
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. dip — to dunk

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