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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 spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  3. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  4. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  5. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  13. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  14. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  15. I can't ________________ this cold.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  19. It's one o'clock ________________.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  23. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. fine — high quality
  3. net — for catching
  4. rest — what's left
  5. chest — of your body
  6. can — to be able to
  7. stand — on your feet
  8. craft — boats
  9. can — a tin
  10. net — in sport
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. fine — a penalty
  13. can — a tin
  14. chest — of your body
  15. stand — to bear
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. net — after costs
  18. sharp — clever
  19. sharp — exactly
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. fine — all right
  22. rest — what's left
  23. chest — a box
  24. rest — a break

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