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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: nail · toast · bowl · craft · object · rush · foot · mate

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. That must've been a ________________.
  4. The ________________ went through the wall.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  7. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  14. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  15. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  16. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  19. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  20. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. rush — a thrill
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. rush — to hurry
  7. object — a thing
  8. mate — a partner
  9. nail — for a hammer
  10. mate — a friend
  11. object — an aim
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. toast — the most admired
  14. foot — a measure
  15. object — to protest
  16. toast — bread
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. craft — boats
  19. nail — on a finger
  20. rush — hurry
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. mate — to breed
  24. foot — the bottom

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