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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  3. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  4. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  5. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  6. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  9. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. The ________________ went through the wall.
  15. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  16. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  17. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  18. The ________________ market has crashed.
  19. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. nail — for a hammer
  3. fan — a supporter
  4. chair — a professorship
  5. key — for a lock
  6. present — there
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. fan — to cool the air
  9. stock — a soup base
  10. present — a gift
  11. key — the most important part
  12. craft — a skill
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. fan — a supporter
  16. nail — on a finger
  17. chair — a leader
  18. stock — shares
  19. stock — goods
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. craft — boats
  24. key — in music

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