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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  4. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  5. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. That was ________________ to happen.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  21. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. band — a music group
  3. band — a rubber band
  4. deal — an agreement
  5. staff — employees
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. leaves — of a tree
  8. saw — the tool
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. kid — to tease
  11. bound — tied together
  12. craft — a skill
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. kid — child
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. deal — to handle
  18. bound — certain
  19. bound — obliged
  20. staff — a stick
  21. staff — employees
  22. craft — boats
  23. band — a ring
  24. saw — the tool

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