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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: craft · bear · fine · racket · tube · object · snap · rock

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. object — a thing
  3. racket — a loud noise
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. snap — to click
  6. craft — boats
  7. fine — high quality
  8. bear — the animal
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. object — to protest
  11. rock — music
  12. craft — a skill
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. tube — a container
  15. object — an aim
  16. rock — a stone
  17. fine — all right
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. bear — the animal
  20. bear — to put up with
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. snap — to snap out of it
  24. fine — a penalty

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