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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. That must've been a ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  8. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  11. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  12. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  13. This piece is in a major ________________.
  14. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  15. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  16. When will it ________________ you to start?
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  22. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  23. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  24. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.

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

Answer key

  1. rush — a thrill
  2. craft — boats
  3. craft — a skill
  4. mine — an explosive
  5. rush — hurry
  6. key — for a lock
  7. mouse — the animal
  8. jam — to spread on bread
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. mouse — the animal
  11. mine — for digging
  12. mine — belonging to me
  13. key — in music
  14. rush — to hurry
  15. squash — the vegetable
  16. suit — to fit
  17. suit — clothes
  18. key — the most important part
  19. jam — a tight spot
  20. suit — in cards
  21. jam — in traffic
  22. mouse — for a computer
  23. squash — the sport
  24. squash — to crush

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