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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. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  7. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  8. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  9. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The King held a masked ________________.
  13. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  14. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  18. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  19. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  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. rock — music
  2. craft — a skill
  3. board — to get on
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. wake — a trail
  6. trunk — of a tree
  7. ball — a round shape
  8. board — a committee
  9. board — a flat piece
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. craft — boats
  12. ball — a dance
  13. mark — a grade
  14. trunk — of a car
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. ball — a great time
  17. mark — a trace
  18. wake — before a funeral
  19. wake — to stop sleeping
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. pass — a permit
  22. rock — to move gently
  23. rock — a stone
  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