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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  8. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. This piece is in a major ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  22. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  23. We're on a ________________ here.
  24. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. craft — boats
  3. kick — in football
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. suit — clothes
  7. branch — of a bank
  8. roll — a list
  9. craft — a skill
  10. key — for a lock
  11. roll — a cake
  12. rest — a break
  13. kick — with a leg
  14. rest — what's left
  15. branch — a division
  16. suit — to fit
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. key — in music
  19. key — the most important part
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. suit — in cards
  22. kick — a thrill
  23. roll — on a roll
  24. branch — of a tree

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