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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  3. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  4. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  5. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  15. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  19. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  22. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  23. David sat on the ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. swing — music
  3. rest — what's left
  4. swing — in golf
  5. bound — obliged
  6. tube — the underground
  7. craft — boats
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. rule — a law
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. bound — certain
  12. lean — to bend
  13. tube — a container
  14. deal — to handle
  15. bound — tied together
  16. rest — what's left
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. rule — to rule out
  19. deal — a big deal
  20. rule — government
  21. lean — thin
  22. rest — a break
  23. swing — to play on
  24. craft — a skill

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