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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  5. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  22. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. mark — a trace
  3. fine — all right
  4. rash — on the skin
  5. rock — music
  6. rock — a stone
  7. fine — a penalty
  8. mark — a grade
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. rash — hasty
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. rash — a series
  13. branch — a division
  14. can — a tin
  15. can — a tin
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. can — to be able to
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. tube — a container
  21. fine — high quality
  22. branch — of a tree
  23. tube — the underground
  24. craft — boats

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