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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. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  5. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  6. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  9. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  13. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  14. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  21. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  22. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  23. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  24. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.

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. file — a document
  5. safe — out of danger
  6. file — a tool
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. field — for sport
  9. jam — in traffic
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. field — farmland
  12. field — a subject
  13. craft — a skill
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. pass — a permit
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. file — a line of people
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. craft — boats
  21. safe — a strongbox
  22. jam — a tight spot
  23. jam — to spread on bread
  24. racket — for tennis

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