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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 120 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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: season · drill · firm · pop · cabinet · dip · craft · tube

  1. Did you ________________ the meat?
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. You don't need to ________________ round.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. What do you think of the new ________________?
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  20. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  21. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. season — to add flavour
  2. craft — boats
  3. drill — a practice
  4. firm — decided
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. tube — in a tire
  7. firm — a company
  8. dip — to sink
  9. pop — soda
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. pop — to visit
  12. tube — a container
  13. pop — music
  14. tube — the underground
  15. season — in sport
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. cabinet — ministers
  18. drill — army training
  19. season — of the year
  20. firm — steady
  21. cabinet — a cupboard
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. drill — the tool
  24. craft — a skill

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