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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. I'll be taking the ________________.
  6. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. That must've been a ________________.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  16. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  17. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  18. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  19. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  20. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  21. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  22. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  23. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  24. You shouldn't ________________ things.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. craft — a skill
  3. craft — boats
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. tube — the underground
  6. tube — a container
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. rush — a thrill
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bass — low music
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. root — the cause
  13. firm — a company
  14. pass — a permit
  15. root — of a plant
  16. firm — steady
  17. root — of a word
  18. wake — a trail
  19. bass — the fish
  20. firm — decided
  21. rush — hurry
  22. wake — to stop sleeping
  23. wake — before a funeral
  24. rush — to hurry

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