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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: bear · ground · rash · tube · craft · suit · club · wind

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  8. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  9. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  14. I'll be taking the ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. There's no middle ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  22. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  23. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. ground — crushed
  3. suit — in cards
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. ground — the earth
  6. wind — moving air
  7. club — for golf
  8. tube — a container
  9. rash — on the skin
  10. craft — a skill
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bear — the animal
  13. club — a group
  14. tube — the underground
  15. club — for dancing
  16. suit — clothes
  17. ground — a position
  18. suit — to fit
  19. rash — hasty
  20. craft — boats
  21. wind — to turn a key
  22. bear — to put up with
  23. wind — moving air
  24. bear — the animal

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