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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 120 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 train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. The tickets are free of ________________.
  15. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  18. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  19. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  20. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I can't ________________ this cold.
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. spring — of water
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. spring — the season
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. craft — boats
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. craft — a skill
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. ball — a dance
  12. rush — hurry
  13. net — after costs
  14. charge — a price
  15. bay — a part of the sea
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. net — for catching
  18. charge — electricity
  19. net — in sport
  20. spring — a coil
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. stand — to bear
  23. charge — in control
  24. ball — a great time

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