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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 116 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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  2. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. I can't ________________ this cold.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — in a tire
  2. hide — to keep secret
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. pass — a permit
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. stand — on your feet
  11. tube — the underground
  12. prune — to trim
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. craft — boats
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. prune — to trim
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. craft — a skill
  20. snap — to click
  21. tube — a container
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. stand — to bear

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