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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. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  2. The ________________ went through the wall.
  3. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  11. He works in a ________________ mill.
  12. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  13. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  14. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  15. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  21. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  22. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a fruit stone
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. file — a document
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. craft — a skill
  6. saw — the tool
  7. pass — a permit
  8. perch — the fish
  9. pit — in a race
  10. file — a line of people
  11. saw — the tool
  12. perch — for a bird
  13. pit — a hole
  14. file — a tool
  15. mouse — the animal
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. craft — boats
  18. pass — to succeed
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. saw — past of 'see'
  22. perch — for a bird
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. pass — to spend time

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