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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. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — to drop
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. fine — all right
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. fine — high quality
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. leaves — to go away
  9. fall — to drop
  10. fall — the season
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. mark — a trace
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. drill — a practice
  15. drill — the tool
  16. drill — army training
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. band — a music group
  21. band — a ring
  22. craft — a skill
  23. craft — boats
  24. mark — a grade

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