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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 116 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. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. I'll be taking the ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  13. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  16. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  23. Have you met the new head ________________?
  24. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. tube — the underground
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. safe — a strongbox
  7. craft — a skill
  8. fork — to eat with
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. march — the month
  11. march — music
  12. fork — in a road
  13. tube — in a tire
  14. craft — boats
  15. tube — a container
  16. coach — pulled by horses
  17. pass — a permit
  18. march — the month
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. coach — a trainer
  24. bowl — to roll

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