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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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. When are we going to ________________?
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  16. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. craft — boats
  3. season — of the year
  4. roll — a cake
  5. deal — to handle
  6. roll — a list
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. land — ground
  10. land — a country
  11. object — an aim
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. land — to come down
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. foot — part of the body
  16. object — to protest
  17. season — in sport
  18. object — a thing
  19. pass — a permit
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. foot — a measure
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — a skill
  24. foot — the bottom

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