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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. bore — gave birth
  5. last — finally
  6. firm — a company
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. tube — a container
  10. craft — a skill
  11. last — to go on
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. suit — clothes
  14. bore — to drill
  15. last — final
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. firm — steady
  18. bore — to tire
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. suit — to fit
  21. firm — decided
  22. tube — the underground
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. suit — in cards

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