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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  6. Where did you ________________ them?
  7. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  8. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  16. I've got to change the light ________________.
  17. The light ________________ burned out.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. That was ________________ to happen.
  20. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  24. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. face — to point toward
  4. march — the month
  5. chair — a professorship
  6. mug — to rob
  7. chair — to sit on
  8. face — part of the head
  9. craft — a skill
  10. face — to confront
  11. last — final
  12. bound — tied together
  13. march — music
  14. bound — obliged
  15. mug — a cup
  16. bulb — for light
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mug — a face
  19. bound — certain
  20. last — finally
  21. last — to go on
  22. craft — boats
  23. chair — a leader
  24. bulb — of a plant

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