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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. False peace will not ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  10. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  11. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  14. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  15. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  16. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  17. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  20. That was ________________ to happen.
  21. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. I'll be taking the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. last — to go on
  3. last — finally
  4. march — the month
  5. bound — tied together
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. stem — of a plant
  8. craft — a skill
  9. march — the month
  10. stem — to come from
  11. stem — a stem cell
  12. tube — a container
  13. drill — the tool
  14. drill — a practice
  15. stick — to attach or keep to
  16. march — music
  17. bound — obliged
  18. craft — boats
  19. stick — a piece of wood
  20. bound — certain
  21. last — final
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. drill — army training
  24. tube — the underground

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