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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  9. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  15. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  16. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  19. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  23. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. deal — an agreement
  7. fork — in a road
  8. capital — a big letter
  9. date — on the calendar
  10. mate — to breed
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. deal — a big deal
  13. craft — boats
  14. vault — an arched ceiling
  15. capital — a city
  16. fork — a garden tool
  17. deal — to handle
  18. mate — a friend
  19. fork — to eat with
  20. mate — a partner
  21. vault — a safe
  22. capital — money
  23. date — the fruit
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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