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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  19. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. craft — boats
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. sharp — clever
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. craft — a skill
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. snap — to snap out of it
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. prune — the fruit
  13. mark — a trace
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. mark — a grade
  18. prune — to trim
  19. snap — to speak sharply
  20. fine — all right
  21. fine — high quality
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. prune — to trim
  24. snap — to click

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