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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. The light ________________ burned out.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  6. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  11. When will it ________________ you to start?
  12. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. Where did you ________________ them?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  17. I've got to change the light ________________.
  18. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  21. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  22. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  23. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bulb — for light
  2. mug — a cup
  3. craft — boats
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. cold — the Cold War
  6. pit — in a race
  7. craft — a skill
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. suit — clothes
  10. sharp — with an edge
  11. suit — to fit
  12. pass — a permit
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. mug — to rob
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. sharp — clever
  17. bulb — for light
  18. mug — a face
  19. pit — a hole
  20. suit — in cards
  21. bulb — of a plant
  22. pass — to spend time
  23. cold — an illness
  24. cold — not warm

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