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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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 · mine · season · bear · lean · key · jam · stick

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  5. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  8. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  9. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  14. This piece is in a major ________________.
  15. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  18. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. Did you ________________ the meat?
  22. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. key — the most important part
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. bear — to put up with
  5. lean — to rest against
  6. key — for a lock
  7. lean — thin
  8. bear — the animal
  9. season — in sport
  10. craft — a skill
  11. season — of the year
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. mine — for digging
  14. key — in music
  15. mine — belonging to me
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. mine — an explosive
  18. stick — to attach or keep to
  19. craft — boats
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. season — to add flavour
  22. bear — the animal
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. lean — to bend

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