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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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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: wind · net · craft · temple · bay · file · stand · pass

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. When was this ________________ built?
  5. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  6. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  7. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  10. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  11. I can't ________________ this cold.
  12. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  13. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  17. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  18. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  24. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. pass — to spend time
  3. net — in sport
  4. temple — a place of worship
  5. bay — a part of the sea
  6. temple — a place of worship
  7. stand — for spectators
  8. net — for catching
  9. bay — to keep at bay
  10. wind — to turn a key
  11. stand — to bear
  12. wind — moving air
  13. file — a line of people
  14. pass — a permit
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. temple — side of the head
  17. wind — moving air
  18. stand — on your feet
  19. net — after costs
  20. file — a tool
  21. craft — boats
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. file — a document
  24. craft — a skill

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