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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. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  4. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  6. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  7. It's one o'clock ________________.
  8. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  19. When will it ________________ you to start?
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. key — in music
  3. mine — belonging to me
  4. file — a document
  5. tear — from crying
  6. fine — all right
  7. sharp — exactly
  8. mine — an explosive
  9. craft — boats
  10. key — the most important part
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. craft — a skill
  13. mine — for digging
  14. suit — in cards
  15. key — for a lock
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. sharp — clever
  18. file — a tool
  19. suit — to fit
  20. file — a line of people
  21. tear — to rip
  22. sharp — with an edge
  23. tear — from crying
  24. fine — high quality

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

Make a worksheet (0 words)

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