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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  6. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  7. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  8. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  16. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  21. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. season — in sport
  5. staff — employees
  6. staff — employees
  7. snap — to snap out of it
  8. kid — child
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. snap — to click
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. staff — a stick
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. tube — the underground
  15. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  16. tube — a container
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. branch — a division
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. branch — of a tree
  21. snap — to speak sharply
  22. season — of the year
  23. kid — to tease
  24. craft — boats

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