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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  4. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. It's one o'clock ________________.
  7. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  11. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  12. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  15. Have you met the new head ________________?
  16. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  24. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. ball — a dance
  3. sharp — clever
  4. ball — a great time
  5. march — music
  6. sharp — exactly
  7. march — the month
  8. pass — a permit
  9. craft — boats
  10. march — the month
  11. kick — a thrill
  12. pound — a weight
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. sharp — with an edge
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. kick — in football
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. coach — a trainer
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. pound — for dogs
  22. craft — a skill
  23. kick — with a leg
  24. pound — to hit hard

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