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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. She's very handy with a ________________.
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. He works in a ________________ mill.
  8. There's no middle ________________.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. We're on a ________________ here.
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  24. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. saw — the tool
  3. fine — high quality
  4. bowl — a football final
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. can — a tin
  7. saw — the tool
  8. ground — a position
  9. can — a tin
  10. bowl — to roll
  11. craft — a skill
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. craft — boats
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. stand — to bear
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. roll — on a roll
  18. can — to be able to
  19. roll — a list
  20. fine — all right
  21. ground — crushed
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. roll — a cake
  24. ground — the earth

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