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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  6. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  7. When was this ________________ built?
  8. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  19. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. shower — rain
  3. craft — a skill
  4. hand — in cards
  5. straw — dry grass
  6. bound — obliged
  7. temple — a place of worship
  8. shower — a meteor shower
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. bound — tied together
  11. firm — a company
  12. hand — help
  13. temple — a place of worship
  14. bound — certain
  15. firm — decided
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. straw — to clutch at straws
  19. shower — to wash
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. firm — steady
  24. craft — boats

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