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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  12. Did you ________________ the meat?
  13. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. We're on a ________________ here.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. mug — a cup
  3. craft — a skill
  4. can — a tin
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. stand — to bear
  7. roll — a cake
  8. roll — a list
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. shower — rain
  12. season — to add flavour
  13. stand — on your feet
  14. mark — a trace
  15. mug — to rob
  16. roll — on a roll
  17. mark — a grade
  18. mug — a face
  19. can — a tin
  20. can — to be able to
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. craft — boats
  23. shower — to wash
  24. season — in sport

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