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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 120 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 surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. Have you found your soul ________________?
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  12. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  23. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. mate — a friend
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. drill — the tool
  6. drill — a practice
  7. mate — a partner
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. drill — army training
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. rock — music
  12. patient — calm and waiting
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. mate — to breed
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. craft — boats
  18. rock — a stone
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. craft — a skill
  22. nail — for a hammer
  23. rush — to hurry
  24. rush — hurry

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