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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. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  3. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  4. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  5. My father caught me by the ________________.
  6. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  11. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  12. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  13. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  22. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  23. Did you ________________ the button?
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  4. hide — animal skin
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. arm — part of the body
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. tube — the underground
  9. craft — a skill
  10. kid — child
  11. fork — to eat with
  12. fork — a garden tool
  13. press — a publisher
  14. tube — a container
  15. press — newspapers
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. craft — boats
  19. arm — a part of something
  20. fork — in a road
  21. toast — a drink to someone
  22. toast — bread
  23. press — to push
  24. kid — to tease

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