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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 116 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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. When will it ________________ you to start?
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  6. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  7. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The ________________ market has crashed.
  20. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  23. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. stock — goods
  3. suit — to fit
  4. suit — clothes
  5. pitch — a sales talk
  6. hand — help
  7. hand — part of the body
  8. craft — a skill
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. lean — thin
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. pitch — completely
  14. ruler — for measuring
  15. suit — in cards
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. hand — in cards
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. stock — shares
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. pitch — a sports field
  23. stock — a soup base
  24. lean — to bend

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