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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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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: stand · scale · fine · craft · lash · present · toast · tube

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  6. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  17. I can't ________________ this cold.
  18. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I'll be taking the ________________.
  21. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  24. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. tube — a container
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. toast — bread
  6. fine — high quality
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. tube — in a tire
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. present — there
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. fine — all right
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — size or range
  16. toast — the most admired
  17. stand — to bear
  18. scale — in music
  19. craft — a skill
  20. tube — the underground
  21. stand — for spectators
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. present — the time now
  24. present — a gift

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