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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.

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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. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  5. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  6. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  17. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  18. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  19. False peace will not ________________.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wound — an injury
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — a skill
  4. wound — past of 'wind'
  5. hand — help
  6. sharp — with an edge
  7. rock — music
  8. kick — a thrill
  9. firm — decided
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. sharp — clever
  12. firm — a company
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. kick — in football
  15. firm — steady
  16. rock — a stone
  17. last — final
  18. kick — with a leg
  19. last — to go on
  20. last — finally
  21. wound — an injury
  22. hand — in cards
  23. craft — boats
  24. sharp — exactly

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