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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 ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  5. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  8. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  12. He works in a ________________ mill.
  13. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. She's very handy with a ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. saw — past of 'see'
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. march — the month
  4. march — music
  5. hand — in cards
  6. march — the month
  7. face — to confront
  8. hand — help
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. hand — part of the body
  12. saw — the tool
  13. bay — to keep at bay
  14. craft — a skill
  15. face — part of the head
  16. craft — boats
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. face — to point toward
  19. sharp — clever
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. saw — the tool
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bay — a horse colour

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