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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 ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  4. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  5. I've got to change the light ________________.
  6. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. I can't ________________ this cold.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  19. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The light ________________ burned out.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. court — of a king
  4. dip — to dunk
  5. bulb — for light
  6. bulb — of a plant
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. dip — to sink
  11. craft — a skill
  12. wind — moving air
  13. stand — to bear
  14. court — of law
  15. dip — a sauce
  16. court — for sport
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. season — of the year
  19. wind — moving air
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. season — in sport
  22. craft — boats
  23. bulb — for light
  24. stand — for spectators

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