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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. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  2. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  5. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  6. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  7. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  11. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  16. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  17. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  20. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a handicraft
  2. bass — low music
  3. pass — a permit
  4. rock — to move gently
  5. board — a flat piece
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. bass — the fish
  8. craft — boats
  9. pit — in a race
  10. bass — the instrument
  11. rock — a stone
  12. rock — music
  13. craft — a skill
  14. board — to get on
  15. hand — part of the body
  16. patient — a sick person
  17. board — a committee
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. patient — calm and waiting
  20. hand — in cards
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. pit — a hole
  23. pass — to spend time
  24. hand — help

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