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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: craft · ruler · cabinet · tube · pitch · squash · bowl · object

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. squash — the sport
  6. craft — boats
  7. tube — in a tire
  8. pitch — completely
  9. craft — a skill
  10. pitch — a sports field
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. object — a thing
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. object — to protest
  16. bowl — to roll
  17. tube — the underground
  18. squash — to crush
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. squash — the vegetable
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. tube — a container

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