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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 goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. mate — a partner
  7. fine — all right
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. can — a tin
  10. rush — hurry
  11. craft — a skill
  12. craft — boats
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. mate — a friend
  19. deal — to handle
  20. can — to be able to
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. fine — high quality
  23. mate — to breed
  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