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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. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  11. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  16. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  17. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  18. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — dry grass
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. rock — a stone
  6. file — a tool
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. deal — to handle
  11. straw — a straw man
  12. rock — music
  13. craft — a skill
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. file — a line of people
  16. trunk — of a tree
  17. deal — a big deal
  18. file — a document
  19. pass — a permit
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. craft — boats
  24. leaves — to go away

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