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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. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  3. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  13. The tickets are free of ________________.
  14. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  15. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  16. Did you ________________ the meat?
  17. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. straw — dry grass
  3. season — of the year
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. tube — in a tire
  6. pit — in a race
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. straw — a straw man
  9. craft — boats
  10. charge — in control
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. charge — electricity
  13. charge — a price
  14. pit — a fruit stone
  15. pit — a hole
  16. season — to add flavour
  17. leaves — lets stay
  18. club — for golf
  19. club — for dancing
  20. craft — a skill
  21. season — in sport
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. tube — a container
  24. club — a group

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