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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. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  5. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  8. What do you think of the new ________________?
  9. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  18. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  19. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  20. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  21. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  22. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  23. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — in an idiom
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. craft — a skill
  4. craft — a handicraft
  5. firm — steady
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. cabinet — ministers
  9. pass — to succeed
  10. net — after costs
  11. bat — for baseball
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. firm — a company
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. firm — decided
  16. craft — boats
  17. bat — the animal
  18. bowl — a dish
  19. bowl — a football final
  20. net — in sport
  21. pass — a permit
  22. net — for catching
  23. cabinet — a cupboard
  24. pass — to spend time

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