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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. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  14. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  19. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. present — a gift
  2. present — there
  3. cap — of ice
  4. cap — a lid
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — boats
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. pitch — completely
  9. rock — music
  10. land — a country
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. pitch — a sports field
  14. present — the time now
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. mark — a trace
  17. mark — a grade
  18. cap — a hat
  19. land — ground
  20. rock — a stone
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. land — to come down
  23. pitch — a sales talk
  24. leaves — lets stay

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