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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  3. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  17. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  22. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. mouse — for a computer
  4. rock — music
  5. saw — the tool
  6. hand — part of the body
  7. craft — boats
  8. ruler — a monarch
  9. saw — the tool
  10. rock — a stone
  11. hand — help
  12. mouse — the animal
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. wax — for sculpting
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. hand — in cards
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. wax — to grow
  21. fan — to cool the air
  22. ruler — for measuring
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. fan — a supporter

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