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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 116 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. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  5. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  6. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  10. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  13. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  14. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  15. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  16. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — a loud noise
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. straw — dry grass
  5. craft — boats
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. craft — a handicraft
  10. swing — in golf
  11. swing — to play on
  12. straw — to clutch at straws
  13. pass — a permit
  14. swing — music
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. fine — high quality
  17. craft — a skill
  18. fine — all right

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