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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. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  4. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. The light ________________ burned out.
  9. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The ________________ went through the wall.
  13. I've got to change the light ________________.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  17. Did you ________________ the meat?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  23. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. chest — a box
  4. season — of the year
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. chest — of your body
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bulb — for light
  9. chest — of your body
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. saw — the tool
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. bulb — for light
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. rest — a break
  17. season — to add flavour
  18. craft — a skill
  19. row — to paddle
  20. rest — what's left
  21. saw — the tool
  22. row — a line
  23. season — in sport
  24. craft — boats

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