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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  9. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. David sat on the ________________.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bowl — a football final
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. bear — the animal
  5. stand — to bear
  6. can — a tin
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. swing — music
  9. stand — on your feet
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. stand — for spectators
  13. bear — the animal
  14. swing — in golf
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. can — to be able to
  17. can — a tin
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. swing — to play on
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. straw — dry grass
  22. craft — boats
  23. straw — a straw man
  24. bowl — to roll

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