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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  3. The King held a masked ________________.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. It's one o'clock ________________.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  10. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  16. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  22. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  23. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  24. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. present — there
  3. ball — a dance
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. sharp — exactly
  6. present — the time now
  7. kick — a thrill
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. leaves — to go away
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. kick — in football
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. craft — boats
  15. ball — a round shape
  16. leaves — lets stay
  17. tube — the underground
  18. present — a gift
  19. ball — a great time
  20. sharp — clever
  21. leaves — of a tree
  22. tube — a container
  23. sharp — with an edge
  24. kick — with a leg

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