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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. The light ________________ burned out.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. Don't do anything ________________.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  21. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  24. I seem to be developing a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. craft — a skill
  3. wound — an injury
  4. stand — to bear
  5. wound — an injury
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. ball — a great time
  9. bulb — for light
  10. rash — a series
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. charge — in control
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. bulb — for light
  16. rash — hasty
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. craft — boats
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. wound — past of 'wind'
  21. charge — electricity
  22. ball — a dance
  23. charge — a price
  24. rash — on the skin

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