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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. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  5. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  6. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  7. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  11. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  16. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. craft — boats
  3. season — of the year
  4. firm — steady
  5. swing — in golf
  6. fine — a penalty
  7. snap — to click
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. firm — decided
  10. swing — music
  11. fine — all right
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. season — in sport
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. snap — to speak sharply
  16. firm — a company
  17. craft — a skill
  18. roll — a list
  19. roll — a cake
  20. swing — to play on
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. fine — high quality

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