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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  5. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  6. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  12. I've got to change the light ________________.
  13. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. mine — for digging
  5. bear — the animal
  6. degree — an amount
  7. bear — the animal
  8. craft — boats
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. mine — an explosive
  12. bulb — for light
  13. degree — from a university
  14. pass — a permit
  15. suit — clothes
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. bulb — for light
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. degree — temperature
  24. craft — a skill

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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