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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: stand · can · craft · pass · lash · tube · bat · row

  1. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  2. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  3. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  9. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  10. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  14. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  15. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  16. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  17. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  18. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  21. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  22. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  23. I'll be taking the ________________.
  24. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.

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

Answer key

  1. tube — a container
  2. bat — the animal
  3. pass — to succeed
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. pass — a permit
  6. stand — for spectators
  7. stand — to bear
  8. can — a tin
  9. can — a tin
  10. craft — boats
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. row — to paddle
  14. row — a line
  15. craft — a handicraft
  16. bat — for baseball
  17. craft — a skill
  18. row — a quarrel
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. can — to be able to
  21. pass — to spend time
  22. bat — in an idiom
  23. tube — the underground
  24. tube — in a tire

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