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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: chair · last · sharp · firm · craft · bear · pass · coach

  1. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  2. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  3. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  4. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  8. It's one o'clock ________________.
  9. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  10. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  11. Have you met the new head ________________?
  12. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  15. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  16. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  19. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  23. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bear — to put up with
  2. craft — boats
  3. last — finally
  4. firm — decided
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. bear — the animal
  8. sharp — exactly
  9. craft — a skill
  10. coach — a trainer
  11. coach — a trainer
  12. bear — the animal
  13. last — to go on
  14. firm — a company
  15. chair — to sit on
  16. last — final
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. sharp — with an edge
  19. coach — pulled by horses
  20. chair — a leader
  21. pass — a permit
  22. sharp — clever
  23. firm — steady
  24. pass — to spend time

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