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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. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  2. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  7. Here is a list of ________________ job openings.
  8. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. Let us try to swim against the ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  17. Wood does not conduct electric ________________.
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  22. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. content — videos and posts
  2. march — the month
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. pass — a permit
  5. craft — boats
  6. content — happy
  7. current — happening now
  8. deal — to handle
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. content — the amount
  11. deal — a big deal
  12. march — music
  13. current — of water
  14. chair — a leader
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. chair — a professorship
  17. current — electric
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. march — the month
  20. craft — a skill
  21. deal — an agreement
  22. chair — to sit on
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. pass — to spend time

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