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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. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Have you settled on a ________________?
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The King held a masked ________________.
  9. That was ________________ to happen.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  15. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. It's one o'clock ________________.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  23. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  24. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. bound — tied together
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. ball — a round shape
  7. stand — to bear
  8. ball — a dance
  9. bound — certain
  10. date — the fruit
  11. ball — a great time
  12. pass — a permit
  13. craft — a skill
  14. bound — obliged
  15. sharp — with an edge
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. sharp — exactly
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. wave — with your hand
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. wave — of the sea
  23. sharp — clever
  24. wave — a sudden rise

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