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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: fine · date · craft · saw · scale · net · jam · pass

  1. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  4. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  5. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  6. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  7. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  8. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  9. She's very handy with a ________________.
  10. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  11. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  14. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  15. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  16. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  17. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  18. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  19. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  20. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  21. He works in a ________________ mill.
  22. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  23. Have you settled on a ________________?
  24. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. craft — a skill
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. net — after costs
  4. date — on the calendar
  5. scale — size or range
  6. scale — for weighing
  7. jam — a tight spot
  8. pass — a permit
  9. saw — the tool
  10. date — the fruit
  11. fine — high quality
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. saw — past of 'see'
  14. craft — boats
  15. pass — to succeed
  16. net — for catching
  17. scale — in music
  18. fine — a penalty
  19. craft — a handicraft
  20. fine — all right
  21. saw — the tool
  22. net — in sport
  23. date — on the calendar
  24. jam — in traffic

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