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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 120 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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  4. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  7. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. That must've been a ________________.
  12. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  13. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. key — in music
  3. key — the most important part
  4. wake — to stop sleeping
  5. wake — a trail
  6. foot — the bottom
  7. rush — to hurry
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. trunk — of a car
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. rush — a thrill
  12. trunk — of a tree
  13. lie — an untruth
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. rush — hurry
  16. craft — a skill
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. lie — to recline
  20. key — for a lock
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. craft — boats
  23. trunk — of an elephant
  24. foot — a measure

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