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

Word bank: bowl · key · stand · bay · game · file · rule · craft

  1. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  3. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  4. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  5. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  6. My mare is ________________ in color.
  7. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  10. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  14. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  18. I can't ________________ this cold.
  19. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  20. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  23. That was a fun ________________.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. rule — a law
  3. game — a kind of play
  4. game — wild animals
  5. bowl — to roll
  6. bay — a horse colour
  7. file — a document
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. key — for a lock
  10. key — the most important part
  11. file — a tool
  12. craft — boats
  13. rule — to rule out
  14. bowl — a dish
  15. craft — a skill
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. stand — on your feet
  18. stand — to bear
  19. bay — a part of the sea
  20. file — a line of people
  21. key — in music
  22. rule — government
  23. game — a match
  24. bowl — a football final

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