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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: cell · ball · tube · craft · saw · board · pop · mark

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. You don't need to ________________ round.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. He was locked up in a ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  9. We're almost out of ________________.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. I'll be taking the ________________.
  17. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  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. tube — a container
  2. pop — to visit
  3. saw — the tool
  4. cell — in a prison
  5. craft — a skill
  6. saw — past of 'see'
  7. saw — the tool
  8. pop — music
  9. pop — soda
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. mark — a grade
  13. board — to get on
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. mark — a trace
  16. tube — the underground
  17. cell — a phone
  18. ball — a great time
  19. craft — boats
  20. ball — a dance
  21. board — a committee
  22. cell — in biology
  23. mark — to pay attention
  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