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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 116 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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  15. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  16. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  17. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. craft — boats
  4. bear — the animal
  5. sharp — clever
  6. rock — a stone
  7. branch — a division
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. rock — music
  10. fall — to drop
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. wave — with your hand
  13. bear — the animal
  14. fall — the season
  15. wave — a sudden rise
  16. bear — to put up with
  17. branch — of a tree
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. fall — to drop
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. fine — all right
  24. fine — high quality

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