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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. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  7. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. Have you met the new head ________________?
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  20. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. band — a music group
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. band — a ring
  5. craft — a skill
  6. can — to be able to
  7. lie — an untruth
  8. lie — to recline
  9. craft — boats
  10. band — a rubber band
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. spring — a coil
  16. spring — the season
  17. spring — of water
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. can — a tin
  20. coach — pulled by horses
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. coach — a trainer

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