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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  7. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  23. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. track — a song
  4. tube — a container
  5. bear — the animal
  6. coach — a trainer
  7. track — a path
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. key — for a lock
  10. rest — what's left
  11. key — the most important part
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. bear — the animal
  14. craft — a skill
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. rest — what's left
  17. craft — boats
  18. key — in music
  19. track — to keep track
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. tube — the underground
  22. mine — for digging
  23. mine — an explosive
  24. rest — a break

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