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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. When was this ________________ built?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  23. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  24. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. craft — a skill
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. row — a line
  5. tube — the underground
  6. vault — in gymnastics
  7. tube — a container
  8. hand — part of the body
  9. row — to paddle
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. hand — help
  12. row — a quarrel
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. hand — in cards
  15. craft — boats
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. bear — the animal
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. tear — from crying
  21. vault — a safe
  22. tear — to rip
  23. temple — a place of worship
  24. tear — from crying

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