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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 112 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. When are we going to ________________?
  3. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  12. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  15. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  16. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  17. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  22. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  23. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  24. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. land — to come down
  3. can — a tin
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. bore — gave birth
  7. land — a country
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bore — to tire
  10. craft — boats
  11. bore — to drill
  12. bay — to keep at bay
  13. fine — high quality
  14. cap — a lid
  15. leaves — lets stay
  16. bay — a part of the sea
  17. cap — a hat
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. can — to be able to
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. land — ground
  22. can — a tin
  23. cap — of ice
  24. fine — all right

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