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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. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  8. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  14. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  15. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  18. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  19. He was locked up in a ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. That was a fun ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. cell — a phone
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. march — the month
  7. game — a kind of play
  8. present — the time now
  9. cell — in biology
  10. present — a gift
  11. bear — the animal
  12. game — wild animals
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. march — music
  15. present — there
  16. craft — boats
  17. bear — to put up with
  18. nail — on a finger
  19. cell — in a prison
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. game — a match
  23. craft — a skill
  24. bear — the animal

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