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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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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: mate · pass · land · club · bulb · hide · dip · craft

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  3. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  4. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  5. When are we going to ________________?
  6. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  7. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  8. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  9. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  10. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  11. The light ________________ burned out.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  16. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  17. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  21. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. mate — a friend
  3. dip — to dunk
  4. club — for dancing
  5. land — to come down
  6. land — a country
  7. club — a group
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. dip — a sauce
  10. hide — animal skin
  11. bulb — for light
  12. craft — boats
  13. dip — to sink
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. bulb — of a plant
  16. mate — to breed
  17. land — ground
  18. mate — a partner
  19. pass — a permit
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. club — for golf
  22. bulb — for light
  23. craft — a skill
  24. pass — to spend time

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