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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. How do you ________________ your surname?
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  14. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  15. We're almost out of ________________.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. He works in a ________________ mill.
  19. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. tube — in a tire
  3. craft — boats
  4. spell — letters
  5. rule — government
  6. tube — the underground
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. pop — music
  9. craft — a skill
  10. branch — a division
  11. rule — a law
  12. saw — the tool
  13. branch — of a tree
  14. rule — to rule out
  15. pop — soda
  16. spell — magic
  17. tube — a container
  18. saw — the tool
  19. spell — a short time
  20. pop — to visit
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. firm — steady
  23. firm — a company
  24. firm — decided

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