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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
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 · bear · can · leaves · spring · mouse · ruler · band

  1. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  10. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  16. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  23. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. band — a music group
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. can — a tin
  5. spring — of water
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. craft — a skill
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. bear — the animal
  10. leaves — of a tree
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. can — to be able to
  14. band — a ring
  15. spring — a coil
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. craft — boats
  18. leaves — lets stay
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. bear — the animal
  22. spring — the season
  23. bear — to put up with
  24. craft — a handicraft

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