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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. This piece is in a major ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  13. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  14. What do you think of the new ________________?
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  22. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  23. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  24. I got dealt a bad ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. bulb — for light
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. rock — a stone
  6. craft — boats
  7. craft — a skill
  8. key — in music
  9. key — for a lock
  10. hand — help
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. clip — to cut
  13. bulb — of a plant
  14. cabinet — ministers
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. rock — music
  17. bulb — for light
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. clip — a video
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. key — the most important part
  22. clip — for paper
  23. rock — to move gently
  24. hand — in cards

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