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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. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. Did you ________________ the meat?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  14. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  15. This piece is in a major ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  18. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  21. That must've been a ________________.
  22. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — hurry
  2. craft — boats
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. rush — to hurry
  6. craft — a skill
  7. stand — to bear
  8. key — for a lock
  9. bank — of a river
  10. season — to add flavour
  11. key — the most important part
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. ball — a round shape
  14. stand — on your feet
  15. key — in music
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. season — of the year
  18. bank — for money
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. bank — for money
  21. rush — a thrill
  22. season — in sport
  23. ball — a great time
  24. ball — a dance

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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