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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: mug · field · leaves · firm · wind · stand · craft · saw

  1. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  22. He works in a ________________ mill.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. firm — decided
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. field — a subject
  4. field — for sport
  5. mug — a cup
  6. mug — a face
  7. wind — moving air
  8. field — farmland
  9. leaves — lets stay
  10. firm — steady
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. firm — a company
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. stand — to bear
  15. craft — a skill
  16. craft — boats
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. wind — moving air
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. leaves — to go away
  22. saw — the tool
  23. saw — the tool
  24. mug — to rob

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