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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. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  10. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  15. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  16. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  21. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  22. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  23. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wax — for sculpting
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. shower — a meteor shower
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. cue — a hint
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. craft — a skill
  9. wax — to grow
  10. shower — to wash
  11. craft — boats
  12. stand — to bear
  13. suit — to fit
  14. pitch — completely
  15. cue — a signal
  16. pitch — a sales talk
  17. suit — clothes
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. suit — in cards
  20. cue — for pool
  21. shower — rain
  22. wax — in the ear
  23. stand — on your feet
  24. stand — for spectators

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