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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. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  4. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  7. Have you met the new head ________________?
  8. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  11. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  20. Did you ________________ the meat?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. Let us try to swim against the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. craft — boats
  3. drill — army training
  4. object — an aim
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. season — of the year
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. object — to protest
  9. key — for a lock
  10. season — in sport
  11. object — a thing
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. drill — a practice
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. craft — a skill
  16. current — electric
  17. key — in music
  18. key — the most important part
  19. current — happening now
  20. season — to add flavour
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. drill — the tool
  23. bear — the animal
  24. current — of water

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