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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.

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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. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. When are we going to ________________?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  16. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  17. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  24. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — help
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. hand — in cards
  4. craft — a skill
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. land — to come down
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. safe — a strongbox
  10. pass — a permit
  11. land — a country
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. branch — a division
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. tear — from crying
  16. branch — of a tree
  17. tear — to rip
  18. land — ground
  19. craft — boats
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. tear — from crying
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. branch — of a bank
  24. hand — part of the body

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