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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.

Words on the sheet
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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pop · craft · pass · bear · fall · land

  1. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. You don't need to ________________ round.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  12. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  13. We're almost out of ________________.
  14. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  18. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fall — the season
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. craft — boats
  4. pop — music
  5. land — to come down
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bear — the animal
  8. craft — a skill
  9. pop — to visit
  10. fall — to drop
  11. craft — a handicraft
  12. land — a country
  13. pop — soda
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pass — a permit
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. bear — the animal
  18. land — ground

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