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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  3. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. The polar ice ________________ is melting.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. cap — a lid
  3. deal — a big deal
  4. suit — clothes
  5. board — a committee
  6. cap — a hat
  7. field — a subject
  8. rest — what's left
  9. field — for sport
  10. suit — to fit
  11. craft — boats
  12. suit — in cards
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. board — to get on
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. deal — an agreement
  18. field — farmland
  19. rest — what's left
  20. branch — a division
  21. rest — a break
  22. deal — to handle
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. cap — of ice

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