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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  6. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  10. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  11. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  22. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  23. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. wind — to turn a key
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. craft — a skill
  5. lean — to bend
  6. lean — to rest against
  7. craft — boats
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. sharp — clever
  10. drill — the tool
  11. suit — in cards
  12. suit — to fit
  13. wind — moving air
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. suit — clothes
  16. bore — to drill
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. lean — thin
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. drill — a practice
  22. wind — moving air
  23. drill — army training
  24. bore — to tire

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