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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 is as ________________ as a wolf.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — thin
  2. craft — a skill
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. swing — in golf
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. swing — music
  10. fan — a supporter
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. wave — with your hand
  14. swing — to play on
  15. lean — to rest against
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. band — a ring
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. lean — to bend
  23. craft — boats
  24. band — a music group

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