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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. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  8. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  11. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  12. I can't ________________ this cold.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  15. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  18. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  24. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.

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. firm — steady
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. fine — a penalty
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. key — the most important part
  8. stand — on your feet
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. drill — army training
  11. key — for a lock
  12. stand — to bear
  13. key — in music
  14. hand — help
  15. drill — the tool
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. hand — part of the body
  18. hand — in cards
  19. firm — a company
  20. drill — a practice
  21. fine — all right
  22. craft — a skill
  23. fine — high quality
  24. firm — decided

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