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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  9. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  14. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  17. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. We had a fire ________________ at school today.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — boats
  3. cue — for pool
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. object — an aim
  6. wound — past of 'wind'
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. cue — a hint
  9. object — a thing
  10. wound — an injury
  11. object — to protest
  12. drill — the tool
  13. cue — a signal
  14. current — electric
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. cap — of ice
  17. current — happening now
  18. cap — a lid
  19. current — of water
  20. drill — army training
  21. wound — an injury
  22. cap — a hat
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. drill — a practice

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