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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. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. You don't need to ________________ round.
  8. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  11. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  16. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  19. The water is too ________________.
  20. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  21. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  22. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  23. We're almost out of ________________.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. craft — boats
  3. craft — a skill
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — a tin
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. pop — to visit
  8. calf — of the leg
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. calf — a young animal
  11. nail — on a finger
  12. rest — what's left
  13. cold — an illness
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. toast — a drink to someone
  16. cold — the Cold War
  17. toast — bread
  18. calf — a young animal
  19. cold — not warm
  20. rest — what's left
  21. rest — a break
  22. pop — music
  23. pop — soda
  24. can — to be able to

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