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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  2. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  3. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  10. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  11. I'll be taking the ________________.
  12. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. Check the label for the sugar ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a dance
  2. present — the time now
  3. ball — a round shape
  4. craft — boats
  5. present — a gift
  6. craft — a skill
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. present — there
  10. safe — a strongbox
  11. tube — the underground
  12. tube — a container
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. content — videos and posts
  16. ball — a great time
  17. tube — in a tire
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. content — happy
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. content — the amount

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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