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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. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  4. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  5. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  13. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  21. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  22. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — on a finger
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. trunk — of a tree
  4. jam — in traffic
  5. squash — the sport
  6. craft — boats
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. trunk — of a car
  9. key — for a lock
  10. key — the most important part
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. squash — to crush
  13. leaves — to go away
  14. staff — a stick
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. key — in music
  17. jam — a tight spot
  18. craft — a skill
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. staff — employees
  21. jam — to spread on bread
  22. leaves — of a tree
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. staff — employees

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