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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. When are we going to ________________?
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. That was a fun ________________.
  18. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  22. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. land — a country
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — boats
  10. land — to come down
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. craft — a skill
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. straw — a straw man
  15. game — wild animals
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. game — a match
  18. mouse — for a computer
  19. land — ground
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. mouse — the animal
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. deal — to handle
  24. straw — dry grass

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