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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  4. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  8. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  9. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  13. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  17. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. How do you ________________ your surname?
  21. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  22. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  23. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  24. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — to keep at bay
  4. lean — to bend
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. club — for dancing
  8. club — a group
  9. lean — thin
  10. spell — a short time
  11. craft — a skill
  12. club — for golf
  13. rash — a series
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. rash — hasty
  16. fall — the season
  17. fall — to drop
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. present — there
  20. spell — letters
  21. fall — to drop
  22. spell — magic
  23. present — a gift
  24. present — the time now

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