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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. My mare is ________________ in color.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. rush — to hurry
  3. rush — hurry
  4. bass — low music
  5. bay — a horse colour
  6. craft — a skill
  7. bay — to keep at bay
  8. pass — a permit
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. fork — in a road
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. bear — the animal
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. season — in sport
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. bear — the animal
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. season — of the year
  23. craft — boats
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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