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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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468
Word bank
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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  4. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  5. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  8. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  9. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  10. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  11. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  15. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  16. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  24. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. chair — a leader
  4. present — a gift
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. jam — to spread on bread
  8. hide — to keep secret
  9. jam — a tight spot
  10. chair — a professorship
  11. rest — what's left
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. chair — to sit on
  15. hide — animal skin
  16. jam — in traffic
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. present — the time now
  19. present — there
  20. rest — a break
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. rest — what's left
  24. hide — to keep secret

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