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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.

Words on the sheet
468
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: stick · date · ball · pass · craft · bore · bat · spell

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  3. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  4. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The King held a masked ________________.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  9. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  10. Have you settled on a ________________?
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  13. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  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 spend time
  2. bat — for baseball
  3. bore — to drill
  4. bat — the animal
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. ball — a dance
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. ball — a great time
  10. date — on the calendar
  11. spell — magic
  12. bore — gave birth
  13. stick — a piece of wood
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. spell — a short time
  17. craft — a skill
  18. bat — in an idiom
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. bore — to tire
  21. craft — boats
  22. date — the fruit
  23. pass — a permit
  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