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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  11. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  12. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  17. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  18. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  19. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  20. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  24. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. craft — boats
  3. pound — for dogs
  4. stand — to bear
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. craft — a skill
  8. rush — hurry
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. shower — a meteor shower
  11. season — in sport
  12. plane — a tool
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. fine — all right
  16. stand — for spectators
  17. shower — rain
  18. rush — to hurry
  19. plane — in geometry
  20. season — of the year
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. fine — high quality
  23. shower — to wash
  24. pound — a weight

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