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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 124 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: leaves · rule · craft · jam · stand · degree · cabinet · pit

  1. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  10. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. What do you think of the new ________________?
  23. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  24. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.

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

Answer key

  1. leaves — of a tree
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. craft — boats
  6. cabinet — ministers
  7. pit — in a race
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. jam — to spread on bread
  10. rule — a law
  11. degree — from a university
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. craft — a skill
  14. degree — an amount
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. rule — to rule out
  17. stand — to bear
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. pit — a hole
  21. rule — government
  22. cabinet — ministers
  23. degree — temperature
  24. leaves — lets stay

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