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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: board · ball · mug · nail · wave · sharp · craft · date

  1. The ________________ went through the wall.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  4. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  5. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  8. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  9. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. Where did you ________________ them?
  12. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Have you settled on a ________________?
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  20. It's one o'clock ________________.
  21. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  22. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  23. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. nail — for a hammer
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. board — a flat piece
  4. nail — on a finger
  5. nail — for a hammer
  6. craft — boats
  7. board — to get on
  8. mug — a cup
  9. mug — a face
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. mug — to rob
  12. ball — a great time
  13. craft — a skill
  14. date — on the calendar
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. sharp — clever
  17. ball — a dance
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. date — on the calendar
  20. sharp — exactly
  21. date — the fruit
  22. board — a committee
  23. wave — a sudden rise
  24. wave — of the sea

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