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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: bay · jam · rest · firm · wake · press · sharp · craft

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. My mare is ________________ in color.
  3. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  4. The function of the ________________ is to provide the common people with facts.
  5. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  6. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. Did you ________________ the button?
  13. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  14. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  15. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  22. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  23. Manchester University ________________ is the university's academic publishing house.
  24. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. bay — a horse colour
  3. jam — a tight spot
  4. press — newspapers
  5. sharp — with an edge
  6. firm — a company
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. bay — to keep at bay
  11. craft — boats
  12. press — to push
  13. jam — to spread on bread
  14. bay — a part of the sea
  15. rest — a break
  16. wake — a trail
  17. sharp — clever
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. rest — what's left
  20. firm — decided
  21. rest — what's left
  22. firm — steady
  23. press — a publisher
  24. wake — to stop sleeping

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