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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 120 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. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. That must've been a ________________.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  19. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The people resisted their cruel ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. rush — hurry
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. craft — boats
  9. rush — a thrill
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. board — to get on
  14. board — a flat piece
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. row — a line
  18. row — to paddle
  19. board — a committee
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. ruler — a monarch

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