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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.

Make a worksheet

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. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  2. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. The ________________ went through the wall.
  7. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  8. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  9. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  15. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  20. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  21. What do you think of the new ________________?
  22. When was this ________________ built?
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. A black ________________ roamed the forest.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — for digging
  2. pitcher — a jug
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. mine — belonging to me
  9. mine — an explosive
  10. craft — boats
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. can — a tin
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. can — to be able to
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. can — a tin
  18. bear — the animal
  19. temple — side of the head
  20. cabinet — ministers
  21. cabinet — ministers
  22. temple — a place of worship
  23. craft — a skill
  24. bear — the animal

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