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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  5. The ball is in your ________________.
  6. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. She's very handy with a ________________.
  11. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  12. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  13. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  14. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  15. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  16. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. The ________________ went through the wall.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. He works in a ________________ mill.
  24. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. fan — to cool the air
  5. court — for sport
  6. court — of a king
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. board — a committee
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. saw — the tool
  11. bank — for money
  12. court — of law
  13. fan — a supporter
  14. bank — for money
  15. bay — to keep at bay
  16. board — a flat piece
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bank — of a river
  19. nail — for a hammer
  20. craft — boats
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. saw — the tool
  24. board — to get on

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