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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  4. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  10. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  13. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  14. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  15. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  16. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. The ________________ went through the wall.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a skill
  3. rock — music
  4. sharp — with an edge
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. mark — a grade
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. deal — to handle
  10. sharp — clever
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. scale — in music
  13. rock — to move gently
  14. deal — a big deal
  15. scale — for weighing
  16. scale — size or range
  17. rock — a stone
  18. mark — a trace
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. mark — to pay attention

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