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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The light ________________ burned out.
  3. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  4. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Have you met the new head ________________?
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. I've got to change the light ________________.
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  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. craft — a skill
  2. bulb — for light
  3. straw — dry grass
  4. bulb — of a plant
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. season — of the year
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. hand — help
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — the time now
  13. can — to be able to
  14. present — there
  15. bulb — for light
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. can — a tin
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. season — in sport
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. can — a tin
  22. hand — in cards
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  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