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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  10. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  11. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  12. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  19. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. wave — a sudden rise
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. craft — a skill
  6. craft — boats
  7. file — a document
  8. key — the most important part
  9. file — a tool
  10. hand — part of the body
  11. stem — of a plant
  12. stem — to come from
  13. rest — what's left
  14. file — a line of people
  15. key — for a lock
  16. saw — the tool
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. wave — with your hand
  19. rest — a break
  20. hand — in cards
  21. hand — help
  22. key — in music
  23. wave — of the sea
  24. craft — a handicraft

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