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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 works in a ________________ mill.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  8. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. mug — a cup
  4. saw — the tool
  5. chip — to eat
  6. object — an aim
  7. chip — for betting
  8. wake — to stop sleeping
  9. season — in sport
  10. mug — to rob
  11. craft — a skill
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. mine — belonging to me
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. object — a thing
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. mine — for digging
  19. wake — a trail
  20. object — to protest
  21. craft — boats
  22. season — of the year
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. mug — a face

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