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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. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  3. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  4. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  5. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  6. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  7. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. The tickets are free of ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  12. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  15. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  16. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  17. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  18. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  22. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. degree — an amount
  3. firm — a company
  4. charge — in control
  5. bank — for money
  6. drill — a practice
  7. drill — the tool
  8. pass — a permit
  9. charge — a price
  10. craft — boats
  11. charge — electricity
  12. firm — decided
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. pass — to succeed
  15. degree — from a university
  16. degree — temperature
  17. craft — a handicraft
  18. drill — army training
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. fine — all right
  21. bank — for money
  22. bank — of a river
  23. firm — steady
  24. fine — high quality

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