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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. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  2. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  5. She's very handy with a ________________.
  6. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  7. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  8. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  9. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  12. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  13. He works in a ________________ mill.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  17. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  18. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  19. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  20. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  21. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — the time now
  2. fine — a penalty
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. bat — for baseball
  5. saw — the tool
  6. bat — the animal
  7. bass — the instrument
  8. jam — a tight spot
  9. fine — all right
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. jam — to spread on bread
  12. bat — in an idiom
  13. saw — the tool
  14. bass — low music
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. pass — to spend time
  17. pass — a permit
  18. present — a gift
  19. present — there
  20. saw — past of 'see'
  21. pass — to succeed
  22. fine — high quality
  23. bass — the fish
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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