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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: plane · march · present · chip · bear · pass · craft · foot

  1. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  2. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  3. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  4. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  5. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  6. The ________________ took off on time.
  7. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  8. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  9. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  19. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  22. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  23. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  24. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to spend time
  2. chip — in a computer
  3. craft — boats
  4. march — the month
  5. craft — a handicraft
  6. plane — an aircraft
  7. foot — the bottom
  8. march — music
  9. bear — the animal
  10. present — the time now
  11. bear — to put up with
  12. march — the month
  13. craft — a skill
  14. present — there
  15. foot — a measure
  16. present — a gift
  17. pass — a permit
  18. plane — a tool
  19. bear — the animal
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. foot — part of the body
  22. plane — in geometry
  23. chip — for betting
  24. chip — to eat

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