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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. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  7. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  8. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  9. When will it ________________ you to start?
  10. My mare is ________________ in color.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  13. It's one o'clock ________________.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  23. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  24. He's taking a ________________ right now.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — in cards
  2. craft — boats
  3. present — the time now
  4. present — a gift
  5. present — there
  6. bay — to keep at bay
  7. sharp — clever
  8. shower — rain
  9. suit — to fit
  10. bay — a horse colour
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. bay — a part of the sea
  13. sharp — exactly
  14. craft — a skill
  15. suit — clothes
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. march — the month
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. shower — a meteor shower
  21. pass — a permit
  22. march — the month
  23. march — music
  24. shower — to wash

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