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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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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 hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  2. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  3. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  9. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  10. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  11. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  12. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  13. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  14. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  15. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  16. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  17. She's very handy with a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. mark — a trace
  2. fork — a garden tool
  3. mark — a grade
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. fine — all right
  7. craft — a skill
  8. fine — high quality
  9. wake — to stop sleeping
  10. chest — of your body
  11. chest — of your body
  12. mark — to pay attention
  13. suit — clothes
  14. wake — a trail
  15. fine — a penalty
  16. chest — a box
  17. saw — the tool
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. suit — to fit
  21. saw — the tool
  22. suit — in cards
  23. fork — in a road
  24. craft — boats

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