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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 124 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. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  4. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  20. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. track — a song
  2. mate — a partner
  3. mate — a friend
  4. fan — a supporter
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. pitch — completely
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. craft — boats
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. fork — in a road
  11. pitch — a sales talk
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. pass — a permit
  14. jam — to spread on bread
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. mate — to breed
  17. track — a path
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. fan — a supporter
  20. fan — to cool the air
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. craft — a skill
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. track — to keep track

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