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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 120 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 drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  5. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  10. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. Have you found your soul ________________?
  13. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. When will it ________________ you to start?
  19. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  20. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. That must've been a ________________.
  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. nail — for a hammer
  2. bass — low music
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. bark — to shout
  5. shower — a meteor shower
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. mate — a friend
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. mate — to breed
  10. bark — of a tree
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. mate — a partner
  13. shower — to wash
  14. bass — the fish
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. suit — in cards
  18. suit — to fit
  19. bark — a dog's sound
  20. shower — rain
  21. rush — hurry
  22. suit — clothes
  23. rush — a thrill
  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