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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: saw · ground · craft · nail · chair · wave · hand · foot

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  3. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  4. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  7. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  8. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  9. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. The ________________ went through the wall.
  12. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  13. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  14. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. hand — part of the body
  3. foot — a measure
  4. wave — a sudden rise
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. ground — the earth
  7. hand — help
  8. nail — on a finger
  9. hand — in cards
  10. saw — the tool
  11. nail — for a hammer
  12. nail — for a hammer
  13. foot — part of the body
  14. saw — past of 'see'
  15. craft — boats
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. craft — a skill
  18. saw — the tool
  19. chair — a leader
  20. ground — crushed
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. foot — the bottom
  24. ground — a position

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