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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. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  8. Remember our ________________: no talking to strangers, no matter what.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  12. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. That was ________________ to happen.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. Will civil ________________ and democracy continue in Algeria?
  17. The chairman did not ________________ out the possibility of a disagreement.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  20. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  21. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  22. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. foot — a measure
  3. pass — a permit
  4. band — a music group
  5. rash — a series
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. pass — to spend time
  8. rule — a law
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. foot — the bottom
  12. foot — part of the body
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. bound — certain
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rule — government
  17. rule — to rule out
  18. bound — tied together
  19. bound — obliged
  20. band — a rubber band
  21. band — a ring
  22. rash — on the skin
  23. craft — boats
  24. craft — a handicraft

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