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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 drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  2. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  7. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  19. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  20. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  21. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wave — of the sea
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. wave — with your hand
  5. craft — a skill
  6. nail — on a finger
  7. ruler — for measuring
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. rock — music
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. rock — a stone
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. craft — boats
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. wax — in the ear
  17. clip — for paper
  18. vault — a safe
  19. wax — for sculpting
  20. clip — to cut
  21. wave — a sudden rise
  22. clip — a video
  23. wax — to grow
  24. craft — a handicraft

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