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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 always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. patient — calm and waiting
  4. march — the month
  5. court — for sport
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. trunk — of a tree
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. march — the month
  10. court — of law
  11. craft — boats
  12. march — music
  13. patient — a sick person
  14. suit — to fit
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. craft — a skill
  18. suit — clothes
  19. suit — in cards
  20. court — of a king
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. leaves — of a tree

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