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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: hide · squash · nail · race · tube · craft · fine · suit

  1. When will it ________________ you to start?
  2. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  11. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  12. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  18. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  19. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  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. suit — to fit
  2. fine — all right
  3. suit — in cards
  4. race — a contest
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. craft — boats
  7. suit — clothes
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — a penalty
  11. squash — to crush
  12. race — the arms race
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. hide — animal skin
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. tube — the underground
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. squash — the vegetable
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. squash — the sport
  21. tube — a container
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. race — humankind
  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