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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. It's one o'clock ________________.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  4. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  5. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  6. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  9. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  10. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  15. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  16. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  17. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  18. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.

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

Answer key

  1. sharp — exactly
  2. craft — boats
  3. leaves — lets stay
  4. bass — the fish
  5. snap — to click
  6. pass — to spend time
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. snap — to snap out of it
  9. rock — music
  10. leaves — to go away
  11. pass — a permit
  12. sharp — clever
  13. firm — a company
  14. leaves — of a tree
  15. firm — steady
  16. firm — decided
  17. sharp — with an edge
  18. bass — the instrument
  19. bass — low music
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. rock — a stone
  22. craft — a skill
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. snap — to speak sharply

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