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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. Have you found your soul ________________?
  5. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  6. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  7. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  8. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  14. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  15. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  16. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  17. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. current — happening now
  4. mate — a partner
  5. capital — a city
  6. kick — in football
  7. current — electric
  8. kick — with a leg
  9. bear — the animal
  10. tube — the underground
  11. current — of water
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. bear — the animal
  14. capital — money
  15. bowl — a football final
  16. capital — a big letter
  17. mate — to breed
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. craft — a skill
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. mate — a friend
  22. tube — a container
  23. kick — a thrill
  24. craft — boats

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