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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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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: pass · swing · cap · toast · fork · craft

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  13. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  17. David sat on the ________________.
  18. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. cap — a hat
  3. pass — a permit
  4. toast — bread
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. swing — in golf
  9. fork — in a road
  10. cap — of ice
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. swing — music
  13. fork — a garden tool
  14. craft — a skill
  15. cap — a lid
  16. fork — to eat with
  17. swing — to play on
  18. craft — boats

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