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

Word bank: pass · craft · bowl · pitch · snap · pound · key · lash

  1. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  2. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  3. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  4. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  5. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  6. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  7. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  10. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. This piece is in a major ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. bowl — a football final
  2. snap — to snap out of it
  3. craft — a skill
  4. pass — a permit
  5. pound — to hit hard
  6. pitch — a sales talk
  7. snap — to speak sharply
  8. craft — boats
  9. key — the most important part
  10. craft — a handicraft
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. bowl — a dish
  14. key — for a lock
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. pass — to spend time
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. pound — a weight
  21. key — in music
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. pitch — completely
  24. snap — to click

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