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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  4. False peace will not ________________.
  5. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  6. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  9. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  10. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  15. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. march — music
  4. last — to go on
  5. present — a gift
  6. present — the time now
  7. craft — boats
  8. rest — what's left
  9. march — the month
  10. last — final
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. last — finally
  13. track — to keep track
  14. track — a song
  15. wave — of the sea
  16. firm — decided
  17. track — a path
  18. firm — steady
  19. march — the month
  20. rest — a break
  21. wave — with your hand
  22. rest — what's left
  23. firm — a company
  24. present — there

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