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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: stick · craft · stand · rash · season · bulb · bore · straw

  1. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  4. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  7. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Did you ________________ the meat?
  12. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  19. Don't do anything ________________.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. rash — a series
  2. craft — a skill
  3. stand — on your feet
  4. straw — a straw man
  5. stand — to bear
  6. bore — to drill
  7. bore — gave birth
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. bore — to tire
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. season — to add flavour
  12. season — of the year
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. season — in sport
  17. bulb — for light
  18. stand — for spectators
  19. rash — hasty
  20. bulb — for light
  21. straw — to clutch at straws
  22. craft — boats
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. straw — dry grass

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