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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 124 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. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  12. When are we going to ________________?
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  22. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  23. The ________________ went through the wall.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — to go away
  2. land — a country
  3. can — to be able to
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. chair — a leader
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. chair — a professorship
  12. land — to come down
  13. can — a tin
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. can — a tin
  16. staff — employees
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. chair — to sit on
  19. staff — a stick
  20. craft — a skill
  21. staff — employees
  22. land — ground
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. craft — boats

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