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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 120 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. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  4. Where did you ________________ them?
  5. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  8. I've got to change the light ________________.
  9. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  16. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  21. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  22. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. mug — a cup
  3. bulb — of a plant
  4. mug — to rob
  5. tube — a container
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. bat — in an idiom
  8. bulb — for light
  9. object — an aim
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. object — to protest
  12. key — the most important part
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. craft — boats
  15. bat — the animal
  16. mug — a face
  17. tube — the underground
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. bulb — for light
  20. bat — for baseball
  21. tube — in a tire
  22. key — for a lock
  23. object — a thing
  24. key — in music

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