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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  3. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  4. That was a fun ________________.
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  9. Did you ________________ the button?
  10. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. press — newspapers
  3. track — to keep track
  4. game — a match
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. field — a subject
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. game — a kind of play
  9. press — to push
  10. track — a path
  11. track — a song
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. press — a publisher
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. field — for sport
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. field — farmland
  23. craft — boats
  24. game — wild animals

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