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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 116 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. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  3. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  11. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  12. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  16. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  17. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. leaves — of a tree
  3. coach — pulled by horses
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. mark — a grade
  7. craft — boats
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. stick — to attach or keep to
  11. chip — to eat
  12. ruler — a monarch
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. chip — for betting
  16. mark — to pay attention
  17. fork — a garden tool
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. mark — a trace
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. fork — in a road
  23. chip — in a computer
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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