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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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468
Word bank
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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. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  18. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  19. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  23. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  24. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. craft — a skill
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. game — a match
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. branch — of a bank
  9. bear — the animal
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. safe — out of danger
  12. bear — the animal
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. ball — a dance
  15. game — wild animals
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. nail — on a finger
  18. ball — a great time
  19. safe — a strongbox
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. craft — boats
  22. branch — a division
  23. branch — of a tree
  24. safe — out of danger

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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