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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 116 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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  9. What do you think of the new ________________?
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  17. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  18. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. There's no middle ________________.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. perch — the fish
  3. fine — all right
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. pass — a permit
  6. craft — a skill
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. chip — in a computer
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. lean — thin
  11. chip — for betting
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. ground — the earth
  17. ground — crushed
  18. cabinet — a cupboard
  19. lean — to bend
  20. fine — high quality
  21. chip — to eat
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. ground — a position
  24. fine — a penalty

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