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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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. This piece is in a major ________________.
  6. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  16. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  22. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. march — music
  3. current — happening now
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. key — in music
  6. mine — for digging
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. march — the month
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. key — the most important part
  11. current — of water
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. straw — dry grass
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. current — electric
  16. march — the month
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. craft — a skill
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. key — for a lock
  21. prune — to trim
  22. mine — belonging to me
  23. craft — boats
  24. prune — to trim

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