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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 120 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.

Make a worksheet

Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. This piece is in a major ________________.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  5. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  11. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. key — in music
  2. rest — a break
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. face — to confront
  5. row — a quarrel
  6. craft — a skill
  7. fine — high quality
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. fine — all right
  10. rest — what's left
  11. face — part of the head
  12. face — to point toward
  13. row — to paddle
  14. rest — what's left
  15. key — for a lock
  16. pit — a hole
  17. row — a line
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. key — the most important part
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. craft — boats
  22. fine — a penalty
  23. pit — in a race
  24. bay — a horse colour

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