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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. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  8. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  13. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  21. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  22. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  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. leaves — to go away
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. rock — a stone
  7. race — a contest
  8. pitch — a sports field
  9. pass — a permit
  10. race — the arms race
  11. rock — music
  12. pitch — completely
  13. leaves — lets stay
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. craft — boats
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. race — humankind
  18. straw — a straw man
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. chair — a professorship
  21. chair — a leader
  22. straw — to clutch at straws
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. craft — a skill

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