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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  3. The ________________ went through the wall.
  4. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  5. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  12. Have you settled on a ________________?
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  19. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  20. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. object — an aim
  3. nail — for a hammer
  4. object — to protest
  5. date — the fruit
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. pass — a permit
  9. staff — employees
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. date — on the calendar
  12. date — on the calendar
  13. pitch — completely
  14. staff — employees
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. object — a thing
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. trunk — of a tree
  19. trunk — of an elephant
  20. nail — on a finger
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. staff — a stick
  23. craft — a skill
  24. nail — for a hammer

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