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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 116 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. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  11. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  12. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  17. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  18. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  19. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  20. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. straw — a straw man
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. dip — a sauce
  4. march — the month
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. pit — in a race
  7. craft — boats
  8. suit — to fit
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. march — music
  11. straw — dry grass
  12. pit — a fruit stone
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. straw — to clutch at straws
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pit — a hole
  17. dip — to sink
  18. stick — a piece of wood
  19. suit — clothes
  20. march — the month
  21. pass — a permit
  22. stick — to attach or keep to
  23. suit — in cards
  24. craft — a skill

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