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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 train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  9. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. Have you met the new head ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. craft — a skill
  3. rash — a series
  4. mate — a partner
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. craft — boats
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. mate — a friend
  9. dip — to sink
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. lean — thin
  13. rash — hasty
  14. lean — to rest against
  15. pit — a hole
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. lean — to bend
  20. pit — in a race
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. mate — to breed
  24. coach — a trainer

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