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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 116 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.

Words on the sheet
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. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  3. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  4. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  10. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  11. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  12. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  15. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  16. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  17. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  18. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  19. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  23. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  24. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. coach — a trainer
  3. lean — to bend
  4. kid — child
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. racket — for tennis
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. pass — to spend time
  10. pass — to succeed
  11. pound — a weight
  12. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. march — the month
  15. pound — for dogs
  16. lash — an eyelash
  17. lean — to rest against
  18. march — music
  19. march — the month
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. pound — to hit hard
  23. lean — thin
  24. kid — to tease

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