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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  6. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  7. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  8. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  11. The ball is in your ________________.
  12. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Don't do anything ________________.
  21. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. craft — a skill
  3. mouse — the animal
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. scale — in music
  6. mouse — for a computer
  7. straw — dry grass
  8. court — of a king
  9. craft — boats
  10. rash — on the skin
  11. court — for sport
  12. rash — a series
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. scale — size or range
  16. court — of law
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. rash — hasty
  21. scale — for weighing
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — on a finger

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