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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. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  9. He works in a ________________ mill.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. She's very handy with a ________________.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — high quality
  2. suit — in cards
  3. fine — all right
  4. craft — a skill
  5. suit — to fit
  6. club — for dancing
  7. rest — what's left
  8. saw — past of 'see'
  9. saw — the tool
  10. suit — clothes
  11. club — a group
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. rest — a break
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. craft — boats
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. saw — the tool
  21. rest — what's left
  22. fan — a supporter
  23. club — for golf
  24. craft — a handicraft

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