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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  5. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  6. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  13. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  14. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Have you found your soul ________________?
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. My mare is ________________ in color.
  22. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  23. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  24. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. march — music
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. safe — a strongbox
  5. march — the month
  6. row — a line
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. ruler — for measuring
  9. craft — a skill
  10. safe — out of danger
  11. craft — boats
  12. hand — help
  13. ruler — a monarch
  14. mate — a friend
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. mate — a partner
  18. mate — to breed
  19. march — the month
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. bay — a horse colour
  22. hand — part of the body
  23. row — to paddle
  24. ruler — for measuring

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