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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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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  5. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  20. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  21. Have you found your soul ________________?
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. dip — to sink
  3. craft — a skill
  4. mate — a friend
  5. bowl — a football final
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — to bear
  8. staff — a stick
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. dip — a sauce
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. dip — to dunk
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. staff — employees
  16. degree — an amount
  17. staff — employees
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. degree — temperature
  20. degree — from a university
  21. mate — a partner
  22. mate — to breed
  23. craft — boats
  24. stand — on your feet

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