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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  7. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  8. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  15. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  16. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. board — to get on
  3. rush — hurry
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. board — a flat piece
  7. patient — a sick person
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. drill — the tool
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. drill — army training
  13. craft — a skill
  14. stick — to attach or keep to
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. drill — a practice
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. leaves — of a tree
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. craft — boats
  22. board — a committee
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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