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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  4. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  5. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  6. Have you settled on a ________________?
  7. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  8. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  9. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  13. The ________________ went through the wall.
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  19. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  20. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. fall — the season
  4. staff — employees
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. date — on the calendar
  7. rule — government
  8. staff — a stick
  9. calf — a young animal
  10. fall — to drop
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. nail — on a finger
  13. nail — for a hammer
  14. date — the fruit
  15. nail — for a hammer
  16. craft — a skill
  17. staff — employees
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. calf — of the leg
  20. rule — to rule out
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. rule — a law
  23. fall — to drop
  24. craft — boats

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