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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  10. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. craft — a skill
  3. shower — to wash
  4. pit — a hole
  5. pit — in a race
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. shower — a meteor shower
  10. lean — to bend
  11. shower — rain
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. lean — to rest against
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. craft — boats
  18. season — of the year
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. season — in sport
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. nail — for a hammer

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