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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 120 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. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  5. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  6. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  10. I can't ________________ this cold.
  11. What do you think of the new ________________?
  12. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  13. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  18. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  19. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  20. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  21. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  24. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.

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

Answer key

  1. cabinet — ministers
  2. pass — a permit
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. wound — an injury
  5. present — there
  6. craft — a skill
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. present — a gift
  10. stand — to bear
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. bear — the animal
  13. cabinet — a cupboard
  14. bound — certain
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. craft — boats
  17. present — the time now
  18. bear — the animal
  19. stand — for spectators
  20. bound — obliged
  21. wound — an injury
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. wound — past of 'wind'
  24. bound — tied together

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