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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  4. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  5. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  6. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  10. It's one o'clock ________________.
  11. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  12. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  13. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  14. We're on a ________________ here.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  17. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  18. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  19. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. We were using a ________________ as a seat.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. sharp — clever
  3. roll — a cake
  4. rock — music
  5. roll — a list
  6. drill — army training
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — boats
  9. firm — steady
  10. sharp — exactly
  11. rock — to move gently
  12. drill — a practice
  13. firm — decided
  14. roll — on a roll
  15. pass — a permit
  16. sharp — with an edge
  17. drill — the tool
  18. board — to get on
  19. firm — a company
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. board — a committee
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. rock — a stone

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