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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  9. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  10. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  13. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. My father caught me by the ________________.
  16. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  24. There's a computer ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. ball — a great time
  3. suit — to fit
  4. chip — to eat
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. ball — a dance
  8. arm — a part of something
  9. wave — of the sea
  10. suit — in cards
  11. craft — a skill
  12. net — for catching
  13. leaves — of a tree
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. arm — part of the body
  16. arm — part of the body
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. suit — clothes
  20. net — after costs
  21. chip — for betting
  22. net — in sport
  23. ball — a round shape
  24. chip — in a computer

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