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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 116 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 girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  2. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  3. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  4. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  9. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  10. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  11. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  18. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  19. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. That must've been a ________________.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. row — a line
  2. row — a quarrel
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. drill — army training
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. branch — a division
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. drill — a practice
  9. row — to paddle
  10. branch — of a tree
  11. rush — hurry
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. wave — a sudden rise
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. club — a group
  17. club — for golf
  18. club — for dancing
  19. drill — the tool
  20. craft — a skill
  21. craft — boats
  22. rush — a thrill
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. safe — a strongbox

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