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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  6. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  7. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  8. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  13. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  14. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  18. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  19. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  20. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. It's one o'clock ________________.
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  24. How do you ________________ your surname?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. stem — to come from
  6. mark — to pay attention
  7. stem — a stem cell
  8. vault — in gymnastics
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. mark — a grade
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. craft — a skill
  13. spell — magic
  14. stem — of a plant
  15. craft — boats
  16. mark — a trace
  17. spell — a short time
  18. vault — an arched ceiling
  19. sharp — clever
  20. bay — a part of the sea
  21. pass — a permit
  22. sharp — exactly
  23. vault — a safe
  24. spell — letters

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