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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  13. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  16. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  17. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  21. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. season — of the year
  3. stand — to bear
  4. fall — the season
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. fall — to drop
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. craft — boats
  9. land — to come down
  10. land — a country
  11. face — to confront
  12. land — ground
  13. fall — to drop
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. face — to point toward
  16. deal — to handle
  17. face — part of the head
  18. season — in sport
  19. stock — goods
  20. deal — an agreement
  21. stock — a soup base
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. stock — shares

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