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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. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  5. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  8. That was ________________ to happen.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  11. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  20. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  21. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  22. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bound — obliged
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. hand — in cards
  5. current — electric
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. press — newspapers
  8. bound — certain
  9. current — happening now
  10. wax — to grow
  11. wax — for sculpting
  12. press — to push
  13. craft — boats
  14. tube — the underground
  15. foot — a measure
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. hand — help
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. press — a publisher
  20. current — of water
  21. wax — in the ear
  22. bound — tied together
  23. tube — a container
  24. craft — a skill

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