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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  5. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  15. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  16. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. The tickets are free of ________________.
  23. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. cell — in biology
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. leaves — of a tree
  5. content — happy
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. cell — a phone
  9. charge — in control
  10. bank — for money
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. charge — electricity
  13. bank — of a river
  14. content — the amount
  15. trunk — of a tree
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. craft — boats
  19. bank — for money
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. charge — a price
  23. trunk — of a car
  24. content — videos and posts

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