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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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  3. Have you found your soul ________________?
  4. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  5. That was a fun ________________.
  6. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  7. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  8. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. game — a kind of play
  3. mate — a partner
  4. current — happening now
  5. game — a match
  6. leaves — lets stay
  7. calf — a young animal
  8. current — of water
  9. mate — a friend
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. kid — child
  12. craft — a skill
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. leaves — to go away
  15. current — electric
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. game — wild animals
  21. calf — a young animal
  22. mate — to breed
  23. craft — boats
  24. kid — to tease

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