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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  4. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  5. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The ball is in your ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  20. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  21. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. I don't want to ________________ the boat.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. branch — of a tree
  4. pound — to hit hard
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. pound — a weight
  7. rock — a stone
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. pound — for dogs
  10. craft — a skill
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. court — for sport
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. branch — of a bank
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. court — of law
  20. court — of a king
  21. stick — to attach or keep to
  22. branch — a division
  23. rock — music
  24. rock — to move gently

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