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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. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  7. I'll be taking the ________________.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  20. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  21. I've got to change the light ________________.
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The train ________________ at six o'clock.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. fork — to eat with
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. hand — help
  6. fork — in a road
  7. tube — the underground
  8. bulb — for light
  9. craft — a skill
  10. wind — moving air
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. wind — to turn a key
  13. craft — boats
  14. wind — moving air
  15. rock — music
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. hand — in cards
  20. tube — a container
  21. bulb — for light
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. rock — a stone
  24. leaves — to go away

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