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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  4. This piece is in a major ________________.
  5. The ________________ market has crashed.
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  8. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  13. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  17. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  18. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  23. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  24. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. content — the amount
  4. key — in music
  5. stock — shares
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. bank — for money
  8. stock — a soup base
  9. swing — music
  10. calf — of the leg
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. calf — a young animal
  13. stock — goods
  14. swing — to play on
  15. craft — boats
  16. content — happy
  17. content — videos and posts
  18. bank — of a river
  19. key — the most important part
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. bank — for money
  22. calf — a young animal
  23. swing — in golf
  24. key — for a lock

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