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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 120 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: bowl · craft · rock · chest · hide · mark · rest · object

  1. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  6. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  13. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  14. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  15. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  16. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  21. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  22. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  23. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. object — a thing
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. object — an aim
  5. chest — a box
  6. rock — music
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. rest — what's left
  9. bowl — a football final
  10. craft — boats
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. rock — to move gently
  13. chest — of your body
  14. rest — what's left
  15. mark — a trace
  16. mark — a grade
  17. craft — a skill
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. rock — a stone
  21. object — to protest
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. chest — of your body
  24. mark — to pay attention

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