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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  12. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. This piece is in a major ________________.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  24. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. craft — boats
  3. squash — to crush
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. bound — obliged
  10. bound — tied together
  11. sharp — with an edge
  12. squash — the sport
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. bound — certain
  15. march — the month
  16. key — in music
  17. march — music
  18. key — the most important part
  19. ball — a dance
  20. craft — a skill
  21. sharp — clever
  22. ball — a great time
  23. key — for a lock
  24. squash — the vegetable

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