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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. craft — a skill
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. sharp — clever
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. cabinet — a cupboard
  13. mark — a grade
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. craft — boats
  16. pit — a hole
  17. row — to paddle
  18. row — a line
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. bear — the animal
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. mark — a trace
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. bear — the animal

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