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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. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  3. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  11. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. The water is too ________________.
  19. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  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. craft — a handicraft
  2. stock — goods
  3. content — videos and posts
  4. can — a tin
  5. mouse — for a computer
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. cold — an illness
  8. craft — a skill
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. stock — a soup base
  11. content — happy
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. suit — clothes
  14. suit — to fit
  15. stock — shares
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. craft — boats
  18. cold — not warm
  19. suit — in cards
  20. can — a tin
  21. content — the amount
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. mouse — the animal
  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