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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. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  5. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  14. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  17. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  18. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  19. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  20. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  21. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  22. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. band — a rubber band
  5. cap — a lid
  6. pass — a permit
  7. band — a ring
  8. mark — a trace
  9. dip — to dunk
  10. craft — boats
  11. leaves — of a tree
  12. mark — a grade
  13. mark — to pay attention
  14. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  15. craft — a skill
  16. cap — a hat
  17. cap — of ice
  18. dip — to sink
  19. leaves — to go away
  20. band — a music group
  21. leaves — lets stay
  22. kid — child
  23. dip — a sauce
  24. kid — to tease

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