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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. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  5. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  11. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  17. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  21. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  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. craft — a skill
  4. hide — to keep secret
  5. race — the arms race
  6. stand — to bear
  7. bore — to tire
  8. rule — a law
  9. bear — the animal
  10. hide — to keep secret
  11. stand — on your feet
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. bear — the animal
  15. tube — a container
  16. race — a contest
  17. race — humankind
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. bore — to drill
  20. rule — government
  21. bear — to put up with
  22. tube — the underground
  23. rule — to rule out
  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