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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. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  18. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  19. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  20. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. cap — a lid
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. tube — a container
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. wind — moving air
  8. spring — a coil
  9. cap — of ice
  10. spring — of water
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. tube — the underground
  13. cap — a hat
  14. craft — a skill
  15. staff — employees
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. spring — the season
  18. ruler — for measuring
  19. staff — a stick
  20. wind — to turn a key
  21. craft — boats
  22. wind — moving air
  23. staff — employees
  24. tube — in a tire

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