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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 116 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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  8. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  11. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  12. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  13. The ________________ took off on time.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  16. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. I've got to change the light ________________.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. The light ________________ burned out.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. pass — a permit
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. pit — a hole
  7. plane — a tool
  8. mouse — for a computer
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. plane — in geometry
  12. pit — in a race
  13. plane — an aircraft
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. stick — a piece of wood
  16. bulb — of a plant
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. bulb — for light
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. bulb — for light
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. pitch — completely
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. craft — a skill

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