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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 116 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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  3. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  4. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  7. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. She's very handy with a ________________.
  13. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  14. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  18. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  19. My mare is ________________ in color.
  20. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  21. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  22. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. rest — a break
  3. face — to point toward
  4. bay — a part of the sea
  5. craft — boats
  6. rest — what's left
  7. face — part of the head
  8. saw — the tool
  9. drill — the tool
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. saw — the tool
  13. face — to confront
  14. wave — of the sea
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. squash — the sport
  17. squash — to crush
  18. wave — a sudden rise
  19. bay — a horse colour
  20. drill — a practice
  21. rest — what's left
  22. wave — with your hand
  23. craft — a skill
  24. drill — army training

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