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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. False peace will not ________________.
  2. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  9. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  10. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  11. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  12. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  17. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. This piece is in a major ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  22. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  23. The ________________ took off on time.
  24. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. last — to go on
  2. lean — to bend
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. ball — a great time
  6. craft — boats
  7. ball — a dance
  8. last — final
  9. lean — to rest against
  10. plane — in geometry
  11. plane — a tool
  12. key — the most important part
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. key — for a lock
  17. bowl — a dish
  18. craft — a skill
  19. key — in music
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. last — finally
  22. lean — thin
  23. plane — an aircraft
  24. bay — to keep at bay

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