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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  16. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  17. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  21. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. craft — boats
  3. tear — from crying
  4. pitch — completely
  5. tear — from crying
  6. tear — to rip
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — to bear
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. stand — for spectators
  16. snap — to click
  17. snap — to snap out of it
  18. scale — in music
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. deal — a big deal
  21. scale — size or range
  22. deal — to handle
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. craft — a skill

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