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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. I can't ________________ this cold.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. We're on a ________________ here.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. craft — a skill
  5. roll — a list
  6. pound — to hit hard
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. stand — to bear
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. roll — a cake
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. trunk — of a car
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. roll — on a roll
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. wave — a sudden rise
  23. pound — a weight
  24. craft — a handicraft

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