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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. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  5. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  8. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  9. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  13. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  16. When are we going to ________________?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  19. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  20. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  21. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. The tickets are free of ________________.
  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. craft — boats
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. coach — pulled by horses
  5. bark — of a tree
  6. land — a country
  7. coach — a trainer
  8. bark — to shout
  9. lean — to bend
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. lean — to rest against
  13. fine — all right
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. fine — high quality
  16. land — to come down
  17. pass — a permit
  18. charge — in control
  19. lean — thin
  20. land — ground
  21. bark — a dog's sound
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — a price
  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