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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. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  9. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  10. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — lets stay
  2. bear — the animal
  3. craft — a skill
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. craft — boats
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. mine — for digging
  10. bulb — of a plant
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. bear — the animal
  15. bulb — for light
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. bulb — for light
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. pass — a permit
  24. craft — a handicraft

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