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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. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  6. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  7. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  10. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  11. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  14. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  15. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  16. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. When will it ________________ you to start?
  23. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. craft — boats
  3. fall — to drop
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. game — a kind of play
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. rest — a break
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. fall — to drop
  11. club — a group
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. rest — what's left
  14. mouse — for a computer
  15. suit — in cards
  16. rest — what's left
  17. club — for dancing
  18. craft — a skill
  19. game — wild animals
  20. club — for golf
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. suit — to fit
  23. suit — clothes
  24. game — a match

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