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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 120 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  5. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  6. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  17. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. rash — hasty
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. shower — to wash
  5. coach — pulled by horses
  6. can — a tin
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. pit — a hole
  10. shower — rain
  11. shower — a meteor shower
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. pit — in a race
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. can — to be able to
  16. safe — out of danger
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. safe — a strongbox
  21. craft — a skill
  22. can — a tin
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. rash — a series

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