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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. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  18. That was a fun ________________.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  21. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. drill — a practice
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. ruler — for measuring
  6. mate — a partner
  7. drill — the tool
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. craft — boats
  10. game — wild animals
  11. mate — a friend
  12. fork — in a road
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a path
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. drill — army training
  18. game — a match
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. ruler — a monarch
  21. ruler — for measuring
  22. mate — to breed
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. track — a song

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