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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The tickets are free of ________________.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  21. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. net — after costs
  3. mark — a grade
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. charge — electricity
  6. season — of the year
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. charge — a price
  9. face — to point toward
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. season — in sport
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. net — in sport
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. mark — a trace
  17. face — part of the head
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. craft — boats
  20. charge — in control
  21. face — to confront
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. net — for catching
  24. wave — with your hand

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