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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  5. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  6. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  17. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. This piece is in a major ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. calf — a young animal
  3. last — finally
  4. calf — of the leg
  5. saw — past of 'see'
  6. drill — the tool
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. saw — the tool
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. drill — a practice
  11. club — for dancing
  12. craft — boats
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. key — for a lock
  15. last — to go on
  16. club — a group
  17. calf — a young animal
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. key — the most important part
  20. drill — army training
  21. club — for golf
  22. key — in music
  23. last — final
  24. saw — the tool

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