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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. He works in a ________________ mill.
  2. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  11. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  12. It's one o'clock ________________.
  13. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  14. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The ________________ went through the wall.
  17. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — the tool
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. wax — to grow
  8. saw — the tool
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. saw — past of 'see'
  11. cue — a signal
  12. sharp — exactly
  13. wake — a trail
  14. nail — on a finger
  15. craft — boats
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. wax — in the ear
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. craft — a skill
  20. cue — a hint
  21. sharp — clever
  22. cue — for pool
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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