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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. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  4. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  5. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  8. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  9. My father caught me by the ________________.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  22. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  23. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  24. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. object — to protest
  4. file — a tool
  5. cue — a signal
  6. craft — boats
  7. object — an aim
  8. arm — part of the body
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. bear — the animal
  12. bear — the animal
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. cue — a hint
  17. file — a line of people
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. craft — a skill
  21. arm — a part of something
  22. object — a thing
  23. cue — for pool
  24. file — a document

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