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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 116 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. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  6. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  7. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  8. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. I'll be taking the ________________.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. There's no middle ________________.
  13. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  14. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  21. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. Add some ________________ pepper to it.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. lie — an untruth
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. perch — for a bird
  6. lie — an untruth
  7. row — a line
  8. can — to be able to
  9. ground — the earth
  10. tube — the underground
  11. can — a tin
  12. ground — a position
  13. perch — the fish
  14. perch — for a bird
  15. suit — in cards
  16. can — a tin
  17. craft — a skill
  18. lie — to recline
  19. suit — to fit
  20. tube — in a tire
  21. row — to paddle
  22. craft — boats
  23. suit — clothes
  24. ground — crushed

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