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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. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  5. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  6. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  7. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  10. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  15. When will it ________________ you to start?
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  19. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. False peace will not ________________.
  23. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. wave — with your hand
  2. pass — a permit
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. key — the most important part
  5. branch — a division
  6. suit — in cards
  7. last — final
  8. craft — boats
  9. perch — the fish
  10. branch — of a bank
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. last — finally
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. branch — of a tree
  15. suit — to fit
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. suit — clothes
  18. wave — of the sea
  19. perch — for a bird
  20. key — for a lock
  21. craft — a skill
  22. last — to go on
  23. perch — for a bird
  24. key — in music

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