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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. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  2. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. My mare is ________________ in color.
  10. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  11. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  12. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  13. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  14. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  18. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  19. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  20. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  21. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  22. I'll be taking the ________________.
  23. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. rest — what's left
  2. bay — to keep at bay
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. staff — employees
  5. capital — money
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. tube — a container
  8. staff — a stick
  9. bay — a horse colour
  10. mine — an explosive
  11. game — wild animals
  12. rest — a break
  13. capital — a city
  14. rest — what's left
  15. craft — boats
  16. game — a match
  17. mine — belonging to me
  18. bay — a part of the sea
  19. tube — in a tire
  20. capital — a big letter
  21. mine — for digging
  22. tube — the underground
  23. staff — employees
  24. craft — a skill

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