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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. When will it ________________ you to start?
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  13. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  14. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  15. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  16. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  23. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. suit — in cards
  3. staff — employees
  4. lean — thin
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. suit — to fit
  8. craft — a skill
  9. sharp — clever
  10. pit — in a race
  11. pit — a hole
  12. mine — an explosive
  13. staff — a stick
  14. suit — clothes
  15. mine — for digging
  16. mine — belonging to me
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. craft — boats
  19. sharp — with an edge
  20. saw — the tool
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. staff — employees
  23. lean — to bend
  24. craft — a handicraft

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