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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. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  2. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  14. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  15. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  16. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  17. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?

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

Answer key

  1. stand — on your feet
  2. leaves — lets stay
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. tube — the underground
  7. wave — of the sea
  8. cap — a hat
  9. wave — with your hand
  10. firm — decided
  11. craft — boats
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. tube — a container
  14. spring — a coil
  15. firm — a company
  16. spring — the season
  17. firm — steady
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. spring — of water
  20. leaves — of a tree
  21. craft — a skill
  22. cap — of ice
  23. stand — to bear
  24. cap — a lid

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