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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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468
Word bank
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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. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  8. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  11. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. David sat on the ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. row — to paddle
  3. craft — boats
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. row — a line
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. pound — to hit hard
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. chip — for betting
  11. date — the fruit
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. pound — a weight
  15. swing — music
  16. swing — in golf
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. chip — to eat
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. swing — to play on
  23. craft — a skill
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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