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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 will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  2. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  3. It's one o'clock ________________.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  7. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. He is an ace ________________.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  12. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  13. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  14. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  19. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. march — the month
  2. sharp — clever
  3. sharp — exactly
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. craft — boats
  6. bear — to put up with
  7. sharp — with an edge
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pitcher — in baseball
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. march — the month
  12. march — music
  13. snap — to click
  14. bear — the animal
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. bear — the animal
  17. pass — a permit
  18. snap — to speak sharply
  19. rock — to move gently
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. craft — a skill
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. rock — a stone
  24. rock — music

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