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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. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  3. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  9. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  17. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  21. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. foot — the bottom
  3. file — a tool
  4. craft — a skill
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. file — a line of people
  9. drill — a practice
  10. ball — a dance
  11. rule — a law
  12. drill — army training
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. ball — a great time
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. foot — a measure
  17. file — a document
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. craft — boats
  20. foot — part of the body
  21. rule — government
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. drill — the tool
  24. rule — to rule out

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