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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. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. I can't ________________ this cold.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  7. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  12. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  24. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — past of 'wind'
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. stand — to bear
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. jam — to spread on bread
  7. band — a music group
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. band — a ring
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. jam — in traffic
  12. wound — an injury
  13. craft — a skill
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. track — to keep track
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. track — a song
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. craft — boats
  20. stand — for spectators
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. track — a path
  23. dip — to sink
  24. wound — an injury

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