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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 · vault · nail · craft · rash · march · drill · sharp

  1. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  5. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. The ________________ went through the wall.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  12. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  13. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Don't do anything ________________.
  16. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  20. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  21. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  22. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  23. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  24. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — boats
  2. march — the month
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. nail — for a hammer
  5. vault — in gymnastics
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. nail — for a hammer
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. nail — on a finger
  10. rash — a series
  11. march — music
  12. drill — army training
  13. vault — an arched ceiling
  14. march — the month
  15. rash — hasty
  16. rash — on the skin
  17. pass — a permit
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. drill — a practice
  20. craft — a skill
  21. sharp — clever
  22. vault — a safe
  23. drill — the tool
  24. pass — to succeed

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