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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  9. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  14. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  15. She's very handy with a ________________.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  23. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. patient — a sick person
  5. saw — the tool
  6. scale — in music
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. patient — a sick person
  9. band — a rubber band
  10. pitch — completely
  11. saw — past of 'see'
  12. craft — boats
  13. band — a music group
  14. pitch — a sports field
  15. saw — the tool
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. racket — for tennis
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. band — a ring
  22. scale — for weighing
  23. scale — size or range
  24. pass — a permit

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