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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  10. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  19. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  20. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  24. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. scale — size or range
  5. craft — a skill
  6. spring — a coil
  7. bank — of a river
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. scale — in music
  10. bank — for money
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. craft — boats
  13. spring — the season
  14. cue — a hint
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. bank — for money
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. cue — a signal
  19. spring — of water
  20. pass — a permit
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  24. cue — for pool

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