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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. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. What do you think of the new ________________?
  6. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  15. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  18. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. craft — a skill
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. cabinet — a cupboard
  7. pound — a weight
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. lie — to recline
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. pass — a permit
  12. wake — before a funeral
  13. craft — boats
  14. wake — to stop sleeping
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. lie — an untruth
  18. pound — to hit hard

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