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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. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  8. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  9. That was a fun ________________.
  10. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  13. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  16. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  17. My mare is ________________ in color.
  18. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. Did you ________________ the button?
  22. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. press — a publisher
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. lean — to rest against
  5. craft — boats
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. lean — to bend
  8. press — newspapers
  9. game — a match
  10. game — wild animals
  11. key — in music
  12. mouse — for a computer
  13. pit — a fruit stone
  14. pit — in a race
  15. lean — thin
  16. mouse — the animal
  17. bay — a horse colour
  18. key — for a lock
  19. key — the most important part
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. press — to push
  22. mouse — the animal
  23. pit — a hole
  24. craft — a skill

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