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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 from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: rest · nail · wind · racket · craft · deal

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  13. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  14. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. rest — a break
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. craft — boats
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. deal — a big deal
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. deal — to handle
  9. rest — what's left
  10. racket — for tennis
  11. rest — what's left
  12. wind — moving air
  13. deal — an agreement
  14. wind — moving air
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — a skill
  17. wind — to turn a key
  18. racket — a loud noise

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