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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 116 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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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: wave · fork · craft · nail · suit · drill · fine · cold

  1. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  8. The ________________ went through the wall.
  9. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. When will it ________________ you to start?
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  17. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  18. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  19. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  20. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The water is too ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. nail — on a finger
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. craft — a skill
  5. suit — in cards
  6. drill — a practice
  7. drill — army training
  8. nail — for a hammer
  9. cold — an illness
  10. craft — boats
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. drill — the tool
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. suit — to fit
  15. fine — all right
  16. suit — clothes
  17. wave — with your hand
  18. fork — in a road
  19. wave — of the sea
  20. fine — high quality
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. cold — not warm
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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