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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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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: suit · game · band · craft · tear · ball · bear · pass

  1. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  2. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  3. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  4. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  5. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  6. That was a fun ________________.
  7. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  8. When will it ________________ you to start?
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. The King held a masked ________________.
  11. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  12. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  13. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  14. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  15. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  16. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  17. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  18. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  19. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  20. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  21. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  22. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  23. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — the animal
  2. craft — a skill
  3. tear — from crying
  4. band — a music group
  5. suit — in cards
  6. game — a match
  7. tear — from crying
  8. suit — to fit
  9. bear — the animal
  10. ball — a dance
  11. pass — a permit
  12. game — a kind of play
  13. bear — to put up with
  14. game — wild animals
  15. pass — to spend time
  16. craft — a handicraft
  17. ball — a great time
  18. band — a rubber band
  19. pass — to succeed
  20. suit — clothes
  21. tear — to rip
  22. band — a ring
  23. craft — boats
  24. ball — a round shape

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