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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  2. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  3. Don't do anything ________________.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. The ________________ went through the wall.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  8. That was a fun ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  13. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  14. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  15. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. foot — a measure
  2. clip — a video
  3. rash — hasty
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. rest — what's left
  8. game — a match
  9. craft — boats
  10. rash — a series
  11. rest — what's left
  12. clip — for paper
  13. foot — the bottom
  14. safe — a strongbox
  15. safe — out of danger
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. clip — to cut
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. game — wild animals
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. craft — a skill
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. rest — a break

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