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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. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  6. She's very handy with a ________________.
  7. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  11. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  12. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  13. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  14. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  15. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  18. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  21. I can't ________________ this cold.
  22. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  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. pass — a permit
  2. mark — a grade
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. pass — to spend time
  6. saw — the tool
  7. bank — of a river
  8. saw — the tool
  9. mark — a trace
  10. stand — for spectators
  11. wound — an injury
  12. craft — a handicraft
  13. bank — for money
  14. craft — a skill
  15. saw — past of 'see'
  16. craft — boats
  17. wound — past of 'wind'
  18. bank — for money
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. wound — an injury
  21. stand — to bear
  22. stand — on your feet
  23. lash — an eyelash
  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