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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. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  7. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  8. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  9. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  14. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. last — finally
  3. craft — a skill
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. bank — for money
  6. tear — from crying
  7. staff — a stick
  8. staff — employees
  9. mark — to pay attention
  10. mark — a grade
  11. current — happening now
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. bank — for money
  14. last — final
  15. craft — boats
  16. last — to go on
  17. staff — employees
  18. tear — to rip
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. current — of water
  21. current — electric
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. bank — of a river
  24. tear — from crying

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