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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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. We're on a ________________ here.
  4. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. We're almost out of ________________.
  13. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. deal — to handle
  3. roll — on a roll
  4. roll — a list
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. mine — belonging to me
  8. pop — music
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. craft — a skill
  12. pop — soda
  13. roll — a cake
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. craft — boats
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. pit — a hole
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. pop — to visit
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. pit — in a race

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