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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  20. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. tube — a container
  4. prune — to trim
  5. stand — on your feet
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. season — in sport
  8. shower — rain
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. tube — the underground
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. craft — a skill
  13. season — of the year
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. prune — to trim
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. fan — a supporter
  18. shower — to wash
  19. prune — the fruit
  20. jam — in traffic
  21. stand — to bear
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. craft — boats
  24. stand — for spectators

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