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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 120 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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. rock — music
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. craft — boats
  7. fall — to drop
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. fall — to drop
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. rock — a stone
  14. craft — a skill
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. rest — what's left
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. rest — what's left
  23. rest — a break
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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