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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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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  3. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  15. The ________________ went through the wall.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. rule — to rule out
  3. drill — the tool
  4. toast — bread
  5. drill — a practice
  6. craft — boats
  7. toast — the most admired
  8. craft — a skill
  9. snap — to speak sharply
  10. drill — army training
  11. rule — a law
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. rule — government
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. snap — to click
  18. craft — a handicraft

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