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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.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  10. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  11. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. club — a group
  3. club — for golf
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. charge — electricity
  6. key — for a lock
  7. wave — a sudden rise
  8. key — the most important part
  9. straw — to clutch at straws
  10. charge — in control
  11. wave — with your hand
  12. craft — a skill
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. craft — boats
  15. club — for dancing
  16. charge — a price
  17. key — in music
  18. wave — of the sea

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