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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. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  3. This piece is in a major ________________.
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  10. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  11. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  12. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  18. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  19. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  20. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  21. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  22. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  23. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  24. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. key — for a lock
  3. key — in music
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. cabinet — a cupboard
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. fine — all right
  8. lean — to bend
  9. trunk — of a tree
  10. lean — thin
  11. key — the most important part
  12. roll — a list
  13. fine — high quality
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. craft — boats
  18. lean — to rest against
  19. band — a music group
  20. trunk — of a car
  21. trunk — of an elephant
  22. roll — a cake
  23. fine — a penalty
  24. band — a ring

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