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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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468
Word bank
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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  7. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  15. The light ________________ burned out.
  16. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  24. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pit — a hole
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. craft — a skill
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. dip — a sauce
  7. fork — in a road
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. craft — boats
  11. stick — to attach or keep to
  12. dip — to sink
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. club — for golf
  15. bulb — for light
  16. pit — in a race
  17. bulb — for light
  18. fork — a garden tool
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. bulb — of a plant
  21. pass — a permit
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. club — for dancing
  24. club — a group

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