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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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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: craft · clip · suit · rock · branch · march · key · fine

  1. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  2. This piece is in a major ________________.
  3. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  4. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  5. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  6. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  7. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  10. When will it ________________ you to start?
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  13. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  14. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  15. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  18. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  21. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  22. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. march — music
  2. key — in music
  3. fine — all right
  4. suit — clothes
  5. key — the most important part
  6. march — the month
  7. key — for a lock
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. suit — in cards
  10. suit — to fit
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. branch — of a tree
  13. clip — to cut
  14. branch — a division
  15. clip — for paper
  16. craft — a skill
  17. fine — high quality
  18. clip — a video
  19. rock — music
  20. fine — a penalty
  21. march — the month
  22. branch — of a bank
  23. craft — boats
  24. rock — a stone

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