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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 speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  23. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. season — of the year
  3. craft — a skill
  4. march — music
  5. bear — the animal
  6. pitch — completely
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. craft — boats
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. march — the month
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. tube — a container
  13. season — in sport
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. bear — the animal
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. tube — the underground
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. sharp — clever
  22. wake — before a funeral
  23. march — the month
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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