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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. False peace will not ________________.
  6. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  9. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  10. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  13. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  18. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. craft — boats
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. last — to go on
  6. jam — a tight spot
  7. suit — to fit
  8. foot — a measure
  9. last — finally
  10. field — farmland
  11. last — final
  12. lean — thin
  13. suit — in cards
  14. field — for sport
  15. bear — to put up with
  16. bear — the animal
  17. foot — the bottom
  18. jam — in traffic
  19. bear — the animal
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. lean — to bend
  23. craft — a skill
  24. field — a subject

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