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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.

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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. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  3. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  4. He is as ________________ as a wolf.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  8. Vegetables slowly ________________ towards the light.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  11. One ________________ from a giraffe's hind leg is enough to kill a lion.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  14. They were given a penalty ________________ just minutes from the end.
  15. I get a ________________ out of her cheerful personality.
  16. The tickets are free of ________________.
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. Don't ________________ against the wall. It's just been painted.
  21. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  22. How do you ________________ your surname?
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. spell — a short time
  3. charge — in control
  4. lean — thin
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. craft — a skill
  8. lean — to bend
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. spell — magic
  11. kick — with a leg
  12. craft — boats
  13. charge — electricity
  14. kick — in football
  15. kick — a thrill
  16. charge — a price
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. lean — to rest against
  21. wake — a trail
  22. spell — letters
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. craft — a handicraft

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