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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 120 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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  3. She's very handy with a ________________.
  4. He works in a ________________ mill.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  7. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. My mare is ________________ in color.
  14. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  15. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  23. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  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. present — the time now
  2. trunk — of a tree
  3. saw — the tool
  4. saw — the tool
  5. craft — boats
  6. content — the amount
  7. trunk — of a car
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. stick — a piece of wood
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bay — a horse colour
  14. content — happy
  15. trunk — of an elephant
  16. present — a gift
  17. pass — a permit
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. content — videos and posts
  21. craft — a skill
  22. present — there
  23. bay — to keep at bay
  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