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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. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  5. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  6. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. He is an ace ________________.
  9. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  10. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  17. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  18. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  19. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  20. That must've been a ________________.
  21. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  22. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  23. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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. racket — for tennis
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. jam — in traffic
  6. row — to paddle
  7. object — to protest
  8. pitcher — in baseball
  9. rush — hurry
  10. jam — a tight spot
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. object — an aim
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. pass — a permit
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. object — a thing
  18. snap — to snap out of it
  19. pitcher — a jug
  20. rush — a thrill
  21. row — a quarrel
  22. snap — to speak sharply
  23. row — a line
  24. snap — to click

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