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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.

Make a worksheet

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 · jam · rock · craft · field · clip · pass · leaves

  1. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  4. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  5. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  6. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  7. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  10. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  13. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  14. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  19. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  20. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  23. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  24. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.

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

Answer key

  1. jam — to spread on bread
  2. field — for sport
  3. rock — to move gently
  4. jam — a tight spot
  5. leaves — of a tree
  6. pass — a permit
  7. jam — in traffic
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. clip — to cut
  10. clip — for paper
  11. field — farmland
  12. leaves — to go away
  13. craft — a handicraft
  14. field — a subject
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. craft — a skill
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. rock — a stone
  19. leaves — lets stay
  20. pass — to succeed
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. clip — a video
  23. rock — music
  24. craft — boats

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