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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 120 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'll be taking the ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  10. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  11. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. There's no middle ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  20. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  23. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. tube — the underground
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. ground — crushed
  5. bear — the animal
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. rule — to rule out
  10. bear — the animal
  11. tube — a container
  12. craft — boats
  13. ground — a position
  14. craft — a skill
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rule — government
  17. stem — to come from
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. rule — a law
  20. ground — the earth
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. tube — in a tire
  23. stem — a stem cell
  24. coach — a trainer

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