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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 120 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 didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  3. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. This piece is in a major ________________.
  10. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  11. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  12. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  13. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  14. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  15. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  16. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  17. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  18. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  21. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  22. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  23. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. wake — to stop sleeping
  3. key — for a lock
  4. craft — a skill
  5. wake — before a funeral
  6. craft — boats
  7. file — a line of people
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. key — in music
  10. firm — decided
  11. band — a ring
  12. firm — steady
  13. trunk — of a car
  14. trunk — of a tree
  15. file — a tool
  16. rush — to hurry
  17. key — the most important part
  18. trunk — of an elephant
  19. firm — a company
  20. wake — a trail
  21. band — a rubber band
  22. file — a document
  23. band — a music group
  24. rush — hurry

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