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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  9. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  12. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  18. What do you think of the new ________________?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. spell — a short time
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. wind — moving air
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. rest — what's left
  7. wind — moving air
  8. wind — to turn a key
  9. field — for sport
  10. craft — a skill
  11. field — a subject
  12. spell — magic
  13. rest — what's left
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. leaves — to go away
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. leaves — of a tree
  18. cabinet — ministers
  19. craft — boats
  20. pit — in a race
  21. pit — a hole
  22. rest — a break
  23. field — farmland
  24. spell — letters

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