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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. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. Did you ________________ the meat?
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  12. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  22. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. season — of the year
  2. mate — a friend
  3. season — to add flavour
  4. mate — a partner
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. craft — boats
  8. firm — a company
  9. perch — for a bird
  10. craft — a skill
  11. hide — to keep secret
  12. hide — animal skin
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. firm — decided
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. row — to paddle
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. mate — to breed
  19. firm — steady
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. hide — to keep secret
  22. perch — the fish
  23. row — a line
  24. season — in sport

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