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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. When are we going to ________________?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  14. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. tube — in a tire
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. jam — a tight spot
  6. lean — to bend
  7. tube — the underground
  8. craft — boats
  9. land — to come down
  10. craft — a skill
  11. land — a country
  12. tube — a container
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. season — of the year
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — in sport
  17. land — ground
  18. lean — thin
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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