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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. How do you ________________ your surname?
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. craft — boats
  3. fine — all right
  4. spell — a short time
  5. craft — a skill
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. rash — hasty
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. spell — letters
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rash — a series
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. spell — magic
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. wave — of the sea
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. fine — high quality
  20. bear — the animal
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. wave — with your hand
  24. bear — to put up with

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