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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
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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: saw · toast · craft · shower · cell · coach · object · nail

  1. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. She's very handy with a ________________.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. He was locked up in a ________________.
  12. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  13. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  14. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  17. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  24. He works in a ________________ mill.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — rain
  2. cell — a phone
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. object — a thing
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. saw — the tool
  9. cell — in biology
  10. craft — a skill
  11. cell — in a prison
  12. toast — a drink to someone
  13. object — an aim
  14. object — to protest
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. toast — the most admired
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. shower — to wash
  22. craft — boats
  23. toast — bread
  24. saw — the tool

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