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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  8. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. When will it ________________ you to start?
  13. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.

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

Answer key

  1. net — in sport
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. craft — boats
  4. pass — a permit
  5. file — a tool
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. pitcher — a jug
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. net — for catching
  10. coach — pulled by horses
  11. craft — a skill
  12. suit — to fit
  13. net — after costs
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. band — a music group
  17. file — a line of people
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. band — a ring
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. suit — in cards
  23. file — a document
  24. suit — clothes

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