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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. That must've been a ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. pop — to visit
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. rush — to hurry
  5. pop — soda
  6. stand — to bear
  7. rush — hurry
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. pop — music
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. file — a line of people
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. fan — to cool the air
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — all right
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. rush — a thrill
  19. craft — boats
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. file — a tool
  22. file — a document
  23. stand — for spectators
  24. fine — a penalty

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