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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 120 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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  6. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pound — for dogs
  3. suit — in cards
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. present — a gift
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. craft — boats
  9. stick — to attach or keep to
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. present — the time now
  12. suit — to fit
  13. safe — out of danger
  14. craft — a skill
  15. spring — the season
  16. spring — of water
  17. pound — a weight
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. pound — to hit hard
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. suit — clothes
  23. present — there
  24. spring — a coil

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