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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. My mare is ________________ in color.
  2. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  6. Have you found your soul ________________?
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  9. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.
  10. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  11. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  12. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a horse colour
  2. leaves — to go away
  3. march — the month
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. march — the month
  6. mate — a partner
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. fan — a supporter
  9. wax — for sculpting
  10. fan — to cool the air
  11. fan — a supporter
  12. leaves — of a tree
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. wax — in the ear
  16. craft — a skill
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. wax — to grow
  19. mate — a friend
  20. craft — boats
  21. stick — a piece of wood
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. mate — to breed
  24. march — music

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