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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: mug · stick · object · sharp · craft · file · bear · rush

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  13. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. mug — to rob
  3. craft — a skill
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. file — a line of people
  6. file — a tool
  7. craft — boats
  8. file — a document
  9. bear — the animal
  10. rush — hurry
  11. object — an aim
  12. mug — a cup
  13. sharp — clever
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. bear — the animal
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. mug — a face
  23. object — a thing
  24. object — to protest

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