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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. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. I'll be taking the ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  5. When was this ________________ built?
  6. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  7. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  14. It's one o'clock ________________.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  23. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  24. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. tube — the underground
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. leaves — lets stay
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. leaves — of a tree
  7. bat — the animal
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. tube — a container
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. sharp — with an edge
  14. sharp — exactly
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. leaves — to go away
  17. sharp — clever
  18. can — to be able to
  19. craft — a skill
  20. craft — boats
  21. can — a tin
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. temple — side of the head
  24. can — a tin

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