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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. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  2. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  5. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  6. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  7. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  8. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  9. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  15. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  16. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  22. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. deal — an agreement
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. content — videos and posts
  5. deal — to handle
  6. firm — decided
  7. content — happy
  8. deal — a big deal
  9. last — final
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. fine — high quality
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. craft — a skill
  14. fine — a penalty
  15. last — finally
  16. content — the amount
  17. pass — a permit
  18. last — to go on
  19. craft — boats
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. firm — steady
  22. fine — all right
  23. firm — a company
  24. pass — to succeed

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