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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. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  2. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  8. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  21. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  22. When are we going to ________________?
  23. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  24. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — of the sea
  2. ruler — for measuring
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. craft — boats
  5. craft — a skill
  6. spring — of water
  7. land — ground
  8. land — a country
  9. firm — steady
  10. wave — a sudden rise
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. spring — the season
  13. key — for a lock
  14. field — a subject
  15. firm — decided
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. key — in music
  18. field — for sport
  19. key — the most important part
  20. ruler — for measuring
  21. field — farmland
  22. land — to come down
  23. spring — a coil
  24. firm — a company

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