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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 116 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
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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: cabinet · craft · content · rest · tube · bowl · band · hide

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  3. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  16. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  17. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  24. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. rest — what's left
  3. rest — a break
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. band — a ring
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. hide — animal skin
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. band — a music group
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. tube — the underground
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. rest — what's left
  16. band — a rubber band
  17. tube — a container
  18. craft — boats
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. content — the amount
  21. craft — a skill
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. content — happy
  24. content — videos and posts

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