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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: pass · lash · last · pound · fan · bear · craft · key

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  5. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  6. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  11. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  15. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  16. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. False peace will not ________________.
  19. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  20. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  21. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. This piece is in a major ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. bear — to put up with
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. last — final
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. key — for a lock
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. key — the most important part
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. pass — to spend time
  11. fan — to cool the air
  12. craft — boats
  13. pass — a permit
  14. last — finally
  15. bear — the animal
  16. pound — for dogs
  17. craft — a skill
  18. last — to go on
  19. pound — to hit hard
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. bear — the animal
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. pound — a weight
  24. key — in music

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