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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. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  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. rock — to move gently
  2. rock — a stone
  3. rock — music
  4. cap — a lid
  5. content — happy
  6. shower — a meteor shower
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. leaves — of a tree
  9. cap — of ice
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. shower — to wash
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. content — the amount
  15. cap — a hat
  16. firm — a company
  17. craft — boats
  18. firm — steady
  19. firm — decided
  20. shower — rain
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. content — videos and posts
  23. lash — an eyelash
  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