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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  6. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  9. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  14. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  15. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  16. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I can't ________________ this cold.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. spell — letters
  3. wound — an injury
  4. suit — clothes
  5. stand — for spectators
  6. bowl — to roll
  7. tube — a container
  8. bowl — a football final
  9. wound — an injury
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. tube — the underground
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. toast — bread
  14. toast — the most admired
  15. spell — a short time
  16. tube — in a tire
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. suit — to fit
  19. craft — boats
  20. stand — to bear
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. suit — in cards
  24. spell — magic

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