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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 room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  2. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  9. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  15. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  19. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. The ________________ went through the wall.
  22. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. The ________________ market has crashed.

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — completely
  2. rock — to move gently
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. craft — boats
  6. nail — for a hammer
  7. craft — a skill
  8. stock — goods
  9. hand — part of the body
  10. rock — music
  11. hand — help
  12. rock — a stone
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. hand — in cards
  15. pitch — a sports field
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. pitch — a sales talk
  19. wave — with your hand
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. stock — a soup base
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. stock — shares

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