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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. When will it ________________ you to start?
  3. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. Don't do anything ________________.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  12. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  17. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  18. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  19. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. suit — to fit
  3. suit — clothes
  4. net — in sport
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. lie — to recline
  7. craft — a skill
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. rash — hasty
  10. fork — in a road
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. row — a line
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. rash — on the skin
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. lie — an untruth
  17. rash — a series
  18. lie — an untruth
  19. row — to paddle
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. net — after costs
  22. suit — in cards
  23. net — for catching
  24. craft — boats

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