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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. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  4. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  8. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  9. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  12. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  15. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  16. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  17. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  23. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  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. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. bass — the instrument
  4. bowl — a dish
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. kid — to tease
  8. bass — low music
  9. kid — child
  10. pass — a permit
  11. craft — boats
  12. bass — the fish
  13. track — to keep track
  14. chip — in a computer
  15. chip — to eat
  16. track — a song
  17. bank — for money
  18. bank — for money
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. chip — for betting
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. track — a path
  23. bank — of a river
  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