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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 don't want to ________________ the boat.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  5. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  9. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  14. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  21. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  22. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  23. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  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. rock — to move gently
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. racket — for tennis
  5. pass — to succeed
  6. net — for catching
  7. rock — music
  8. stick — a piece of wood
  9. rock — a stone
  10. net — after costs
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. board — a committee
  14. stick — a piece of wood
  15. net — in sport
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. pass — a permit
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. board — to get on
  20. board — a flat piece
  21. craft — boats
  22. craft — a skill
  23. racket — a loud noise
  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