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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. The tickets are free of ________________.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. mine — an explosive
  3. spell — magic
  4. mine — belonging to me
  5. firm — steady
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. charge — in control
  8. field — for sport
  9. bay — a part of the sea
  10. craft — boats
  11. field — farmland
  12. firm — a company
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. firm — decided
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. mine — for digging
  20. charge — a price
  21. spell — a short time
  22. charge — electricity
  23. field — a subject
  24. spell — letters

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