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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  5. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  9. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. When will it ________________ you to start?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. suit — in cards
  3. lean — thin
  4. pitch — completely
  5. pitch — a sports field
  6. lean — to bend
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. bulb — of a plant
  9. pitch — a sales talk
  10. craft — a skill
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fine — high quality
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. suit — clothes
  17. bulb — for light
  18. ruler — a monarch
  19. bulb — for light
  20. sharp — with an edge
  21. sharp — clever
  22. fine — all right
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. suit — to fit

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