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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 116 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  4. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  5. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  6. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  7. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  11. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  14. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  18. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. When are we going to ________________?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. hide — animal skin
  4. clip — to cut
  5. clip — for paper
  6. land — ground
  7. clip — a video
  8. land — a country
  9. drill — a practice
  10. rest — a break
  11. drill — army training
  12. rest — what's left
  13. club — for dancing
  14. club — a group
  15. craft — boats
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. can — a tin
  18. club — for golf
  19. drill — the tool
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. craft — a skill
  22. rest — what's left
  23. land — to come down
  24. can — to be able to

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