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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. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  2. What do you think of the new ________________?
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — to roll
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. fine — all right
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. leaves — lets stay
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. field — farmland
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. craft — a skill
  16. field — a subject
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. fine — high quality
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. leaves — to go away
  23. craft — boats
  24. field — for sport

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