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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  3. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  11. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  12. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  15. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Did you ________________ the button?
  20. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  21. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. stick — a piece of wood
  3. wound — an injury
  4. suit — clothes
  5. craft — boats
  6. craft — a skill
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. band — a music group
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. wound — an injury
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. fan — to cool the air
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. band — a ring
  15. press — newspapers
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. press — to push
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. wound — past of 'wind'
  22. suit — to fit
  23. press — a publisher
  24. suit — in cards

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