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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  13. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. band — a music group
  4. saw — the tool
  5. craft — a skill
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. suit — to fit
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. saw — the tool
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. cap — a lid
  13. cap — of ice
  14. rest — what's left
  15. rest — what's left
  16. band — a ring
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — clothes
  19. band — a rubber band
  20. rest — a break
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. craft — boats
  24. cap — a hat

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