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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  7. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  12. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  13. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I'll be taking the ________________.
  16. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. When will it ________________ you to start?
  22. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. suit — in cards
  3. mate — a friend
  4. tube — a container
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. root — of a plant
  7. root — the cause
  8. game — a match
  9. straw — dry grass
  10. mate — to breed
  11. game — a kind of play
  12. straw — a straw man
  13. straw — to clutch at straws
  14. craft — boats
  15. tube — the underground
  16. root — of a word
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. game — wild animals
  20. stand — to bear
  21. suit — to fit
  22. stand — for spectators
  23. craft — a skill
  24. mate — a partner

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