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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. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  4. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — a break
  2. craft — a skill
  3. rest — what's left
  4. prune — the fruit
  5. craft — boats
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. prune — to trim
  8. net — for catching
  9. prune — to trim
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. fine — a penalty
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. rest — what's left
  14. toast — a drink to someone
  15. net — after costs
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. fork — in a road
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. fine — all right
  22. net — in sport
  23. fine — high quality
  24. toast — bread

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