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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  4. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  5. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  6. We're on a ________________ here.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Have you settled on a ________________?
  9. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  10. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Where did you ________________ them?
  13. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  14. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  20. This piece is in a major ________________.
  21. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  22. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. He refilled his coffee ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. pass — a permit
  3. date — on the calendar
  4. roll — a cake
  5. kid — child
  6. roll — on a roll
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. date — on the calendar
  9. date — the fruit
  10. kid — to tease
  11. pit — in a race
  12. mug — to rob
  13. roll — a list
  14. mug — a face
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. pass — to succeed
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pit — a hole
  19. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  20. key — in music
  21. key — for a lock
  22. key — the most important part
  23. craft — boats
  24. mug — a cup

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