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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. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  2. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  13. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. The King held a masked ________________.
  22. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  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. object — to protest
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. object — a thing
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. pit — a hole
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. temple — a place of worship
  13. temple — side of the head
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. object — an aim
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. craft — a skill
  21. ball — a dance
  22. pit — in a race
  23. ball — a great time
  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