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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. Did you ________________ the meat?
  7. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  8. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. How do you ________________ your surname?
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  19. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  20. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  21. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. spell — magic
  3. charge — a price
  4. rush — hurry
  5. toast — bread
  6. season — to add flavour
  7. dip — to sink
  8. season — in sport
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. spell — letters
  11. charge — electricity
  12. season — of the year
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. lean — to bend
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — a skill
  18. spell — a short time
  19. dip — to dunk
  20. toast — the most admired
  21. charge — in control
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. lean — thin
  24. toast — a drink to someone

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