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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 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. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. The ________________ market has crashed.
  11. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  15. False peace will not ________________.
  16. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  17. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  18. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. firm — a company
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. dip — to sink
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. craft — a skill
  9. firm — steady
  10. stock — shares
  11. stock — goods
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. craft — boats
  14. firm — decided
  15. last — to go on
  16. last — finally
  17. squash — the vegetable
  18. squash — to crush
  19. sharp — clever
  20. squash — the sport
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. bay — a part of the sea
  23. last — final
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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