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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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Word bank
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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 · rash · leaves · club · fine · firm · nail · date

  1. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  2. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  3. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  8. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Don't do anything ________________.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Have you settled on a ________________?
  17. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  24. The ________________ went through the wall.

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

Answer key

  1. fine — a penalty
  2. date — on the calendar
  3. fine — high quality
  4. rash — a series
  5. firm — steady
  6. firm — decided
  7. leaves — lets stay
  8. firm — a company
  9. craft — boats
  10. rash — hasty
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. club — a group
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. club — for dancing
  15. craft — a skill
  16. date — on the calendar
  17. leaves — to go away
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. date — the fruit
  20. club — for golf
  21. fine — all right
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. nail — for a hammer
  24. nail — for a hammer

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