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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. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  4. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. That must've been a ________________.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  16. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Hold the papers together with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. can — to be able to
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. lean — thin
  4. can — a tin
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. lean — to bend
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. craft — boats
  10. rush — a thrill
  11. rush — hurry
  12. hide — to keep secret
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. can — a tin
  15. leaves — of a tree
  16. bank — for money
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — of a river
  19. clip — a video
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. lean — to rest against
  22. craft — a skill
  23. clip — to cut
  24. clip — for paper

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