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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. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  4. It's one o'clock ________________.
  5. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  10. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  18. My mare is ________________ in color.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. craft — a skill
  3. sharp — with an edge
  4. sharp — exactly
  5. face — to confront
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — a permit
  9. bank — of a river
  10. foot — the bottom
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. face — to point toward
  13. foot — a measure
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. content — the amount
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. content — happy
  18. bay — a horse colour
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. sharp — clever
  21. craft — boats
  22. bank — for money
  23. face — part of the head
  24. bank — for money

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