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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. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  15. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  16. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  17. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  24. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.

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

Answer key

  1. squash — the sport
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. craft — a skill
  6. spring — of water
  7. spring — the season
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. season — of the year
  10. bank — for money
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. current — electric
  13. current — of water
  14. season — in sport
  15. current — happening now
  16. squash — the vegetable
  17. bank — for money
  18. spring — a coil
  19. squash — to crush
  20. craft — boats
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. bank — of a river
  24. nail — on a finger

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