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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  10. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  11. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  15. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  23. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. face — to point toward
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. perch — the fish
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. pound — to hit hard
  11. perch — for a bird
  12. wound — an injury
  13. face — to confront
  14. face — part of the head
  15. wound — an injury
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. stand — to bear
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. stand — on your feet
  20. pound — a weight
  21. craft — boats
  22. wound — past of 'wind'
  23. pound — for dogs
  24. stand — for spectators

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