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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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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: spring · rest · wave · bowl · pass · craft · toast · bay

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  6. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  7. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  8. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  9. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  10. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  11. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  12. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  13. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  14. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  15. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  20. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. spring — a coil
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. bay — to keep at bay
  6. toast — bread
  7. rest — what's left
  8. bowl — to roll
  9. rest — what's left
  10. spring — of water
  11. toast — a drink to someone
  12. wave — a sudden rise
  13. rest — a break
  14. pass — to spend time
  15. wave — with your hand
  16. craft — boats
  17. bay — a part of the sea
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. toast — the most admired
  20. wave — of the sea
  21. craft — a skill
  22. pass — a permit
  23. spring — the season
  24. craft — a handicraft

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