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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 refilled his coffee ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. Did you ________________ the meat?
  5. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. What do you think of the new ________________?
  13. The King held a masked ________________.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  23. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  24. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a cup
  2. mug — to rob
  3. tear — from crying
  4. season — to add flavour
  5. current — of water
  6. craft — boats
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. ball — a great time
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. current — happening now
  12. cabinet — ministers
  13. ball — a dance
  14. current — electric
  15. tear — from crying
  16. net — in sport
  17. season — of the year
  18. season — in sport
  19. net — for catching
  20. mug — a face
  21. craft — a skill
  22. cabinet — a cupboard
  23. tear — to rip
  24. net — after costs

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