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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 haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. I'll be taking the ________________.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  13. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. He works in a ________________ mill.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. craft — a skill
  3. firm — a company
  4. firm — decided
  5. lie — to recline
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. tube — the underground
  9. mark — a trace
  10. firm — steady
  11. mark — a grade
  12. lie — an untruth
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. saw — the tool
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. saw — the tool
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. fan — to cool the air
  20. craft — boats
  21. lie — an untruth
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. tube — a container

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