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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 wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  19. The light ________________ burned out.
  20. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  21. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  22. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  23. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  24. I've got to change the light ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. pit — a fruit stone
  3. degree — temperature
  4. fork — a garden tool
  5. craft — boats
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. net — in sport
  8. pit — in a race
  9. net — for catching
  10. craft — a skill
  11. degree — from a university
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. fork — in a road
  15. net — after costs
  16. pass — a permit
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. degree — an amount
  19. bulb — for light
  20. patient — a sick person
  21. patient — a sick person
  22. bulb — of a plant
  23. pit — a hole
  24. bulb — for light

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