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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: pitcher · content · bear · date · march · craft · pass · fall

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  5. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  9. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  10. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  20. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  23. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. march — the month
  3. bear — the animal
  4. bear — the animal
  5. fall — to drop
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. march — the month
  9. content — videos and posts
  10. content — the amount
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. pass — a permit
  14. fall — to drop
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. craft — boats
  17. pitcher — a jug
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. date — the fruit
  20. content — happy
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. march — music
  23. fall — the season
  24. bear — to put up with

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