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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 120 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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  3. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  4. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  9. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  10. This piece is in a major ________________.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. When are we going to ________________?
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  24. She got the top ________________ in the exam.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. wax — to grow
  3. land — ground
  4. key — for a lock
  5. march — music
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. land — a country
  8. bark — a dog's sound
  9. bark — of a tree
  10. key — in music
  11. mark — a trace
  12. march — the month
  13. wax — in the ear
  14. key — the most important part
  15. land — to come down
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. bay — to keep at bay
  18. march — the month
  19. craft — a skill
  20. bark — to shout
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. craft — boats
  23. wax — for sculpting
  24. mark — a grade

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