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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. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  3. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  16. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  17. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  18. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  23. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  24. My mare is ________________ in color.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. branch — a division
  3. bay — a part of the sea
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. branch — of a tree
  6. craft — boats
  7. court — of law
  8. court — for sport
  9. degree — temperature
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. bay — to keep at bay
  12. fall — the season
  13. court — of a king
  14. fall — to drop
  15. rule — government
  16. degree — from a university
  17. degree — an amount
  18. rule — a law
  19. pass — a permit
  20. branch — of a bank
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. rule — to rule out
  23. fall — to drop
  24. bay — a horse colour

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