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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  8. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. net — for catching
  3. net — after costs
  4. craft — boats
  5. straw — a straw man
  6. suit — to fit
  7. track — to keep track
  8. net — in sport
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. craft — a skill
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. track — a song
  16. fine — high quality
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. suit — in cards
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. fine — all right
  22. track — a path
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. straw — to clutch at straws

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