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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  4. Don't do anything ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  11. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  19. Where did you ________________ them?
  20. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  21. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. rule — a law
  4. rash — hasty
  5. craft — a skill
  6. row — a line
  7. row — to paddle
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. bay — a part of the sea
  11. rash — a series
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. bat — in an idiom
  14. mug — a face
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. mug — a cup
  19. mug — to rob
  20. bat — the animal
  21. bat — for baseball
  22. rule — government
  23. craft — boats
  24. leaves — lets stay

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