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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. Don't do anything ________________.
  3. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  4. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  5. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  16. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. David sat on the ________________.
  19. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. rash — hasty
  3. track — a song
  4. ruler — for measuring
  5. ruler — a monarch
  6. swing — in golf
  7. trunk — of an elephant
  8. craft — a skill
  9. rash — a series
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. rash — on the skin
  12. craft — boats
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. track — to keep track
  16. ruler — for measuring
  17. suit — clothes
  18. swing — to play on
  19. trunk — of a tree
  20. suit — in cards
  21. track — a path
  22. suit — to fit
  23. swing — music
  24. nail — for a hammer

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