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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. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  3. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  6. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  11. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  15. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  16. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  17. Many English words ________________ from Latin.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  22. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  23. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  24. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. wake — before a funeral
  3. bass — low music
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. stem — of a plant
  6. bass — the fish
  7. ball — a dance
  8. stem — a stem cell
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. bore — to drill
  11. lie — an untruth
  12. craft — boats
  13. pass — a permit
  14. bore — gave birth
  15. lie — an untruth
  16. ball — a great time
  17. stem — to come from
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. ball — a round shape
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. bass — the instrument
  22. bore — to tire
  23. wake — a trail
  24. lie — to recline

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