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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. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  4. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  5. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  6. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  9. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  10. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  17. This piece is in a major ________________.
  18. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  19. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  20. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  21. False peace will not ________________.
  22. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. Hard work is the ________________ to success.

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

Answer key

  1. rule — a law
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. rule — government
  4. craft — boats
  5. ball — a round shape
  6. suit — clothes
  7. ball — a dance
  8. rule — to rule out
  9. pit — a hole
  10. key — for a lock
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. bark — of a tree
  14. pit — in a race
  15. last — finally
  16. bark — a dog's sound
  17. key — in music
  18. suit — in cards
  19. craft — a skill
  20. ball — a great time
  21. last — to go on
  22. bark — to shout
  23. last — final
  24. key — the most important part

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