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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  4. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  5. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  6. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  9. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  14. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  15. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. drill — a practice
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. mate — to breed
  6. bear — the animal
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. patient — calm and waiting
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. drill — the tool
  12. prune — to trim
  13. drill — army training
  14. prune — to trim
  15. nail — on a finger
  16. mate — a friend
  17. nail — for a hammer
  18. mate — a partner
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. bear — the animal
  21. craft — a skill
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. safe — a strongbox
  24. bear — to put up with

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