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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  5. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  16. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. bass — the fish
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. cap — a lid
  5. last — finally
  6. rest — what's left
  7. cap — of ice
  8. bass — the instrument
  9. craft — a skill
  10. cap — a hat
  11. rest — a break
  12. object — a thing
  13. last — to go on
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. object — an aim
  16. rest — what's left
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pit — in a race
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. pit — a hole
  21. bass — low music
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. last — final
  24. object — to protest

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