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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  5. We're almost out of ________________.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  17. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. pop — music
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mouse — for a computer
  5. pop — soda
  6. bear — the animal
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — boats
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. field — for sport
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. field — a subject
  15. object — to protest
  16. field — farmland
  17. date — on the calendar
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. pop — to visit
  21. bear — the animal
  22. date — the fruit
  23. craft — a skill
  24. object — an aim

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