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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: lash · last · craft · safe · saw · racket · jam · mark

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. He works in a ________________ mill.
  6. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  7. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  8. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  9. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. False peace will not ________________.
  12. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. She's very handy with a ________________.
  15. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  21. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  22. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  23. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. jam — to spread on bread
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. saw — the tool
  6. craft — a handicraft
  7. craft — boats
  8. mark — a trace
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. last — to go on
  12. last — finally
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. saw — the tool
  15. jam — in traffic
  16. craft — a skill
  17. safe — out of danger
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. jam — a tight spot
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. mark — a grade
  23. last — final
  24. racket — for tennis

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