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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  8. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  9. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. We're on a ________________ here.
  20. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. stock — a soup base
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. craft — boats
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. stock — goods
  8. wound — an injury
  9. wound — past of 'wind'
  10. rash — a series
  11. roll — a cake
  12. stock — shares
  13. rash — hasty
  14. suit — clothes
  15. suit — to fit
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. roll — a list
  18. craft — a skill
  19. roll — on a roll
  20. straw — to clutch at straws
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. suit — in cards
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. leaves — to go away

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