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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. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  5. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  6. When will it ________________ you to start?
  7. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  18. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  19. My father caught me by the ________________.
  20. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  21. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. False peace will not ________________.
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. ruler — a monarch
  3. game — a match
  4. suit — in cards
  5. arm — part of the body
  6. suit — to fit
  7. suit — clothes
  8. craft — boats
  9. game — a kind of play
  10. fine — high quality
  11. game — wild animals
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. fine — all right
  14. last — finally
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. ruler — for measuring
  18. arm — a part of something
  19. arm — part of the body
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. fine — a penalty
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. last — to go on
  24. last — final

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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