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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 120 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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  4. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Have you met the new head ________________?
  11. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  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. can — a tin
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. can — to be able to
  4. field — farmland
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. prune — to trim
  8. pass — a permit
  9. craft — boats
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. rest — what's left
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. field — a subject
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. can — a tin
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. prune — to trim
  18. rest — a break
  19. dip — to sink
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. field — for sport
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. rest — what's left
  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