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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  5. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  9. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  10. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  13. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  14. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  17. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  18. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. fork — in a road
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. patient — calm and waiting
  5. rule — government
  6. craft — a skill
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. bank — for money
  9. patient — a sick person
  10. straw — to clutch at straws
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. rule — a law
  13. nail — on a finger
  14. bank — of a river
  15. bank — for money
  16. nail — for a hammer
  17. straw — a straw man
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. craft — boats
  20. bowl — to roll
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. rule — to rule out
  24. fork — to eat with

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