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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 116 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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  5. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. drill — army training
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. mark — a grade
  5. straw — to clutch at straws
  6. object — an aim
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. mark — a trace
  9. rest — a break
  10. shower — rain
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. drill — the tool
  13. rest — what's left
  14. object — a thing
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. craft — boats
  17. shower — a meteor shower
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. drill — a practice
  21. shower — to wash
  22. straw — a straw man
  23. object — to protest
  24. rest — what's left

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