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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: scale · bowl · wave · bear · craft · coach · nail · present

  1. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  2. Have you met the new head ________________?
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  6. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  16. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  22. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  23. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — a sudden rise
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. craft — a skill
  5. scale — for weighing
  6. coach — pulled by horses
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. craft — boats
  9. bear — to put up with
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. scale — size or range
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. present — a gift
  16. bear — the animal
  17. present — the time now
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. scale — in music
  22. bowl — to roll
  23. present — there
  24. craft — a handicraft

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