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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. When are we going to ________________?
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. present — there
  3. present — the time now
  4. season — in sport
  5. season — of the year
  6. present — a gift
  7. pit — in a race
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. track — a song
  10. land — a country
  11. fine — all right
  12. track — to keep track
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. land — ground
  16. craft — boats
  17. track — a path
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. land — to come down
  20. fine — high quality
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. pit — a hole
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. pit — a fruit stone

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