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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. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  4. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  8. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  9. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Have you found your soul ________________?
  14. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  15. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. The tickets are free of ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. We took cover from the thunder ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. firm — a company
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. field — farmland
  4. mate — to breed
  5. mate — a friend
  6. firm — steady
  7. shower — to wash
  8. field — a subject
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. charge — electricity
  12. craft — a skill
  13. mate — a partner
  14. calf — a young animal
  15. field — for sport
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. charge — in control
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. shower — a meteor shower
  20. firm — decided
  21. charge — a price
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. craft — boats
  24. shower — rain

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