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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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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: tube · firm · mark · craft · row · pass · pound · snap

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. I'll be taking the ________________.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  6. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  7. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  8. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  11. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  12. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  13. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  18. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  19. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  20. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  24. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. craft — boats
  3. tube — the underground
  4. firm — decided
  5. row — to paddle
  6. firm — steady
  7. pound — a weight
  8. snap — to speak sharply
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. tube — in a tire
  11. mark — to pay attention
  12. mark — a grade
  13. pass — to succeed
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. row — a line
  18. craft — a skill
  19. snap — to click
  20. pass — to spend time
  21. pass — a permit
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. firm — a company
  24. mark — a trace

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