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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. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  11. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  23. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  24. She's very handy with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bass — the fish
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. prune — to trim
  5. bear — the animal
  6. bass — low music
  7. craft — a skill
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. ball — a dance
  10. bear — to put up with
  11. cabinet — a cupboard
  12. prune — to trim
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. ball — a great time
  16. saw — the tool
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. pass — a permit
  20. ball — a round shape
  21. craft — boats
  22. prune — the fruit
  23. bear — the animal
  24. saw — the tool

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