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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  5. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  6. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  9. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  10. My father caught me by the ________________.
  11. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  12. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  20. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  21. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  22. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. stick — to attach or keep to
  5. object — to protest
  6. stick — a piece of wood
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. bat — the animal
  9. bat — for baseball
  10. arm — part of the body
  11. arm — a part of something
  12. object — a thing
  13. pass — a permit
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. net — in sport
  16. craft — boats
  17. tube — the underground
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. net — for catching
  20. net — after costs
  21. arm — part of the body
  22. object — an aim
  23. tube — a container
  24. stick — a piece of wood

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