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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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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  4. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  5. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  6. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. I can't ________________ this cold.
  15. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. fine — all right
  3. bound — tied together
  4. fine — high quality
  5. hide — to keep secret
  6. bear — the animal
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. fine — a penalty
  10. craft — boats
  11. bound — obliged
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. stand — to bear
  15. hide — to keep secret
  16. bound — certain
  17. bear — the animal
  18. craft — a skill

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