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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 · patient · craft · spell · plane · march · game · stock

  1. The ________________ took off on time.
  2. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  3. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. That was a fun ________________.
  8. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. How do you ________________ your surname?
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  16. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  17. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  18. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  19. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  20. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  21. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. You can't go backstage without a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. plane — an aircraft
  2. plane — a tool
  3. march — the month
  4. spell — magic
  5. patient — a sick person
  6. game — wild animals
  7. game — a match
  8. craft — a skill
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. stock — goods
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. stock — shares
  13. spell — letters
  14. march — the month
  15. stock — a soup base
  16. spell — a short time
  17. march — music
  18. patient — a sick person
  19. craft — boats
  20. game — a kind of play
  21. patient — calm and waiting
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. pass — a permit

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