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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
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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: craft · bay · pass · mate · field · rash · pitch · squash

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  8. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  9. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  10. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  13. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  14. My mare is ________________ in color.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  17. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  18. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  24. Have you found your soul ________________?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. craft — a handicraft
  3. field — for sport
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. squash — to crush
  6. craft — boats
  7. field — a subject
  8. rash — on the skin
  9. field — farmland
  10. squash — the vegetable
  11. craft — a skill
  12. pitch — a sales talk
  13. bay — a part of the sea
  14. bay — a horse colour
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. pitch — completely
  17. mate — a friend
  18. rash — a series
  19. mate — to breed
  20. squash — the sport
  21. rash — hasty
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. pitch — a sports field
  24. mate — a partner

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