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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  13. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. pass — a permit
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. bound — obliged
  6. cap — a hat
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. saw — the tool
  9. toast — bread
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bound — tied together
  12. cap — of ice
  13. cap — a lid
  14. saw — the tool
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. bound — certain
  19. craft — boats
  20. bank — of a river
  21. bank — for money
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. bank — for money

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