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

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  3. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  8. When are we going to ________________?
  9. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  16. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. deal — to handle
  3. branch — of a bank
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. toast — a drink to someone
  6. craft — a skill
  7. branch — a division
  8. land — to come down
  9. land — a country
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. branch — of a tree
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. pass — a permit
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. deal — a big deal
  16. land — ground
  17. toast — bread
  18. toast — the most admired

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