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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 120 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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  4. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  5. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  6. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  7. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. Have you found your soul ________________?
  11. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  21. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  22. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. fork — to eat with
  4. squash — the vegetable
  5. fork — a garden tool
  6. mate — to breed
  7. wax — for sculpting
  8. bear — the animal
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. mate — a partner
  11. wax — in the ear
  12. squash — to crush
  13. bear — the animal
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. rock — music
  16. mate — a friend
  17. rock — to move gently
  18. rock — a stone
  19. craft — a skill
  20. wax — to grow
  21. squash — the sport
  22. fork — in a road
  23. craft — boats
  24. bear — to put up with

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