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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  5. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  6. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  9. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  10. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  11. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  19. She's very handy with a ________________.
  20. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  21. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. staff — employees
  3. craft — a skill
  4. toast — the most admired
  5. shower — rain
  6. shower — to wash
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. band — a ring
  9. staff — a stick
  10. rush — to hurry
  11. band — a music group
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. rush — hurry
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. staff — employees
  18. shower — a meteor shower
  19. saw — the tool
  20. toast — a drink to someone
  21. toast — bread
  22. craft — boats
  23. saw — the tool
  24. band — a rubber band

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