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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  3. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  7. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  8. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. My mare is ________________ in color.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. toast — the most admired
  3. board — a committee
  4. toast — bread
  5. craft — boats
  6. fork — to eat with
  7. squash — to crush
  8. board — to get on
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. fork — in a road
  12. bass — the fish
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bay — a horse colour
  16. spell — letters
  17. spell — a short time
  18. board — a flat piece
  19. bass — low music
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. spell — magic
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. fork — a garden tool

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