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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: bay · land · leaves · bass · club · craft · bore · mate

  1. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  4. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. When are we going to ________________?
  8. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  11. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  12. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  15. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  20. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  21. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  22. Have you found your soul ________________?
  23. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  24. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?

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

Answer key

  1. bay — a part of the sea
  2. craft — a skill
  3. leaves — of a tree
  4. land — ground
  5. craft — boats
  6. bass — low music
  7. land — to come down
  8. club — for golf
  9. club — a group
  10. land — a country
  11. mate — a friend
  12. leaves — lets stay
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. bass — the fish
  15. club — for dancing
  16. mate — to breed
  17. bore — to drill
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. bore — gave birth
  20. leaves — to go away
  21. bay — to keep at bay
  22. mate — a partner
  23. bass — the instrument
  24. bore — to tire

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