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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: craft · mouse · firm · wave · present · stick

  1. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  3. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  14. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  17. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. mouse — the animal
  3. present — a gift
  4. craft — a skill
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. present — the time now
  7. firm — a company
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. craft — boats
  10. wave — with your hand
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. stick — to attach or keep to
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. firm — decided
  16. mouse — for a computer
  17. mouse — the animal
  18. firm — steady

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