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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  14. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. wind — moving air
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. club — for golf
  5. ball — a great time
  6. leaves — to go away
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. foot — a measure
  10. craft — boats
  11. club — for dancing
  12. rock — a stone
  13. wind — moving air
  14. foot — the bottom
  15. club — a group
  16. wind — to turn a key
  17. season — of the year
  18. rock — music
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. ball — a dance
  21. season — in sport
  22. foot — part of the body
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. craft — a skill

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