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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. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  3. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  4. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. That must've been a ________________.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. What do you think of the new ________________?
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. He was locked up in a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. lean — thin
  3. rule — to rule out
  4. rule — government
  5. craft — boats
  6. cell — a phone
  7. lean — to bend
  8. cabinet — a cupboard
  9. rush — hurry
  10. spring — the season
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. spring — of water
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. rush — a thrill
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. rule — a law
  18. spring — a coil
  19. cabinet — ministers
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cell — in biology
  22. lean — to rest against
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. cell — in a prison

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