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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. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  13. I'll be taking the ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. craft — boats
  5. fine — all right
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. current — happening now
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. can — a tin
  13. tube — the underground
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. can — to be able to
  17. current — electric
  18. leaves — to go away
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. craft — a skill
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. current — of water
  23. fine — high quality
  24. can — a tin

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