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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 124 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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  5. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  6. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  7. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  14. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. wave — of the sea
  5. leaves — to go away
  6. safe — out of danger
  7. capital — a city
  8. craft — a skill
  9. capital — a big letter
  10. craft — boats
  11. leaves — lets stay
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. safe — a strongbox
  14. trunk — of an elephant
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. chest — of your body
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. leaves — of a tree
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. capital — money
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. trunk — of a tree
  23. chest — a box
  24. chest — of your body

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