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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. Have you found your soul ________________?
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  6. This piece is in a major ________________.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  9. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Have you settled on a ________________?
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. It's one o'clock ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. mate — a partner
  2. sharp — clever
  3. staff — employees
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. mark — to pay attention
  6. key — in music
  7. mark — a trace
  8. sharp — with an edge
  9. bank — for money
  10. mate — to breed
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. key — for a lock
  13. mark — a grade
  14. staff — a stick
  15. bank — for money
  16. staff — employees
  17. craft — boats
  18. mate — a friend
  19. key — the most important part
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. bank — of a river
  22. date — the fruit
  23. craft — a skill
  24. sharp — exactly

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