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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. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  6. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  7. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  11. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  12. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  13. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  14. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  15. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  16. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  17. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  23. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. lean — to rest against
  2. craft — boats
  3. craft — a skill
  4. lean — thin
  5. trunk — of an elephant
  6. pound — a weight
  7. fork — a garden tool
  8. rest — what's left
  9. club — a group
  10. club — for dancing
  11. trunk — of a car
  12. rush — to hurry
  13. trunk — of a tree
  14. fork — to eat with
  15. rest — what's left
  16. pound — to hit hard
  17. fork — in a road
  18. rush — hurry
  19. lean — to bend
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. rest — a break
  22. pound — for dogs
  23. club — for golf
  24. craft — a handicraft

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