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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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. That must've been a ________________.
  3. You don't need to ________________ round.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  14. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  19. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  20. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  21. I'll be taking the ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  24. He is as ________________ as a wolf.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — to hurry
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. pop — to visit
  4. sharp — clever
  5. can — a tin
  6. craft — a skill
  7. craft — boats
  8. can — a tin
  9. pop — soda
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. staff — a stick
  13. lean — to bend
  14. rush — hurry
  15. staff — employees
  16. can — to be able to
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. staff — employees
  19. tube — a container
  20. pop — music
  21. tube — the underground
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. lean — to rest against
  24. lean — thin

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