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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. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  10. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  11. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  12. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  19. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  20. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  21. He was locked up in a ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in biology
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. wake — before a funeral
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. fan — to cool the air
  10. pound — for dogs
  11. vault — a safe
  12. wake — a trail
  13. craft — boats
  14. foot — a measure
  15. foot — the bottom
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. craft — a skill
  18. cell — a phone
  19. vault — an arched ceiling
  20. wake — to stop sleeping
  21. cell — in a prison
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. pound — a weight
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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