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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 120 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: cap · craft · safe · wave · bound · bay · degree · pass

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  3. My mare is ________________ in color.
  4. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  13. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  17. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  20. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  21. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  22. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. bay — a part of the sea
  3. bay — a horse colour
  4. bound — obliged
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. wave — with your hand
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. cap — of ice
  10. craft — a skill
  11. bound — certain
  12. bound — tied together
  13. degree — an amount
  14. pass — a permit
  15. craft — boats
  16. wave — a sudden rise
  17. degree — from a university
  18. cap — a lid
  19. bay — to keep at bay
  20. cap — a hat
  21. degree — temperature
  22. craft — a handicraft
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. wave — of the sea

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