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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. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  4. She's very handy with a ________________.
  5. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  9. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  18. The ________________ went through the wall.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  21. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  22. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  23. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. shower — a meteor shower
  4. saw — the tool
  5. trunk — of a car
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fine — high quality
  8. fork — in a road
  9. toast — bread
  10. craft — boats
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. toast — the most admired
  13. saw — the tool
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. fine — all right
  16. craft — a skill
  17. saw — past of 'see'
  18. nail — for a hammer
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. trunk — of an elephant
  21. nail — for a hammer
  22. shower — to wash
  23. nail — on a finger
  24. fork — to eat with

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