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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  4. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. David sat on the ________________.
  9. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  10. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  11. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. swing — in golf
  4. pitch — a sales talk
  5. craft — boats
  6. can — a tin
  7. craft — a skill
  8. swing — to play on
  9. pitch — a sports field
  10. can — to be able to
  11. calf — a young animal
  12. net — after costs
  13. tear — from crying
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — for catching
  16. calf — of the leg
  17. tear — to rip
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. calf — a young animal
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. swing — music
  22. pitch — completely
  23. tear — from crying
  24. can — a tin

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