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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: craft · rock · cabinet · degree · fork · last · pass · club

  1. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  2. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  3. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  4. What do you think of the new ________________?
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  9. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  10. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  11. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  12. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  13. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  14. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  15. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  16. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  17. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  23. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  24. False peace will not ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. fork — in a road
  2. last — finally
  3. last — final
  4. cabinet — ministers
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. degree — from a university
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. degree — an amount
  10. fork — a garden tool
  11. degree — temperature
  12. club — for dancing
  13. craft — boats
  14. craft — a handicraft
  15. rock — to move gently
  16. cabinet — a cupboard
  17. pass — to succeed
  18. pass — a permit
  19. rock — music
  20. club — for golf
  21. rock — a stone
  22. club — a group
  23. craft — a skill
  24. last — to go on

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