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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: pass · rock · jam · spring · dip · key · fork · craft

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  7. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  8. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  9. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  10. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  13. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  14. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  15. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  16. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  17. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  18. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. dip — a sauce
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. jam — to spread on bread
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. spring — a coil
  7. spring — the season
  8. rock — to move gently
  9. fork — to eat with
  10. fork — in a road
  11. key — in music
  12. rock — a stone
  13. jam — a tight spot
  14. spring — of water
  15. craft — a skill
  16. dip — to dunk
  17. key — for a lock
  18. key — the most important part
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. fork — a garden tool
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. craft — boats
  23. rock — music
  24. dip — to sink

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