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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. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  9. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  10. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. This knife is not ________________ enough.

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

Answer key

  1. face — part of the head
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. sharp — clever
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. mate — a friend
  6. mate — a partner
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. firm — decided
  10. fork — to eat with
  11. craft — boats
  12. firm — a company
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. fork — in a road
  15. mate — to breed
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. face — to confront
  18. face — to point toward
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. craft — a skill
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. firm — steady
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. sharp — with an edge

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