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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. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  11. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  12. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  22. He is an ace ________________.
  23. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — a jug
  2. craft — a skill
  3. craft — boats
  4. march — the month
  5. march — music
  6. file — a line of people
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. file — a document
  10. can — a tin
  11. lean — to bend
  12. file — a tool
  13. march — the month
  14. pitcher — a jug
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. rock — music
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. rock — a stone
  19. lean — thin
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. can — a tin
  22. pitcher — in baseball
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. can — to be able to

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