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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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  2. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  14. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. pass — a permit
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. chair — to sit on
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. rest — what's left
  9. chair — a leader
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. present — there
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. present — the time now
  14. rest — a break
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. present — a gift
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. rest — what's left

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