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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. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  4. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  12. You don't need to ________________ round.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  16. My mare is ________________ in color.
  17. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  18. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. We're almost out of ________________.
  23. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  24. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.

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

Answer key

  1. shower — a meteor shower
  2. mug — to rob
  3. firm — decided
  4. scale — size or range
  5. firm — steady
  6. scale — in music
  7. march — the month
  8. bay — a part of the sea
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — a skill
  11. mug — a cup
  12. pop — to visit
  13. mug — a face
  14. shower — rain
  15. march — the month
  16. bay — a horse colour
  17. firm — a company
  18. shower — to wash
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. craft — boats
  21. march — music
  22. pop — soda
  23. scale — for weighing
  24. pop — 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