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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  7. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  8. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  9. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  10. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  14. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  20. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. dip — to sink
  3. swing — music
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. capital — a big letter
  7. straw — to clutch at straws
  8. dip — a sauce
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. band — a ring
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. craft — a skill
  13. dip — to dunk
  14. band — a music group
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. lie — to recline
  17. swing — to play on
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. straw — a straw man
  20. capital — money
  21. swing — in golf
  22. capital — a city
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. craft — boats

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