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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. I can't ________________ this cold.
  2. That was ________________ to happen.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. My mare is ________________ in color.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  16. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  21. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  22. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  23. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  24. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.

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

Answer key

  1. stand — to bear
  2. bound — certain
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. bay — a horse colour
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bound — tied together
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. bowl — a dish
  16. fan — a supporter
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. pass — to spend time
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bay — to keep at bay
  21. stand — on your feet
  22. bound — obliged
  23. fan — a supporter
  24. bowl — a football final

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