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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 120 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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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: safe · bat · file · lash · bark · pass · racket · charge

  1. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  2. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  3. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  7. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  8. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  11. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  12. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  13. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  14. The sergeant loved to ________________ orders at us.
  15. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  16. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  17. The tickets are free of ________________.
  18. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  19. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  20. Birch trees have smooth white ________________.
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  23. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  24. Our dog starts to ________________ whenever the doorbell rings.

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

Answer key

  1. bat — for baseball
  2. safe — out of danger
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. pass — a permit
  6. bat — in an idiom
  7. safe — a strongbox
  8. pass — to succeed
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. file — a tool
  11. file — a document
  12. racket — a loud noise
  13. pass — to spend time
  14. bark — to shout
  15. lash — a whip stroke
  16. bat — the animal
  17. charge — a price
  18. safe — out of danger
  19. racket — for tennis
  20. bark — of a tree
  21. file — a line of people
  22. charge — electricity
  23. charge — in control
  24. bark — a dog's sound

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