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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.

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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: bark · spell · craft · pit · can · ball · tube · pass

  1. I'll be taking the ________________.
  2. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  5. The King held a masked ________________.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  13. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  22. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — the underground
  2. spell — magic
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. tube — in a tire
  5. ball — a dance
  6. spell — letters
  7. can — a tin
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — a permit
  10. craft — boats
  11. pit — in a race
  12. bark — to shout
  13. can — a tin
  14. spell — a short time
  15. ball — a great time
  16. ball — a round shape
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. craft — a skill
  19. bark — of a tree
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. can — to be able to
  22. pit — a hole
  23. tube — a container
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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