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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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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: jam · stand · rash · racket · staff · pass · hand · bat

  1. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  3. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  4. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  5. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  6. I can't ________________ this cold.
  7. Don't do anything ________________.
  8. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  11. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  14. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  15. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  16. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  17. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  18. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  19. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  20. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  23. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  24. Do you need a ________________ with that?

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. bat — in an idiom
  3. jam — to spread on bread
  4. pass — to succeed
  5. bat — the animal
  6. stand — to bear
  7. rash — hasty
  8. stand — for spectators
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. rash — a series
  11. racket — for tennis
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. hand — part of the body
  14. staff — employees
  15. jam — a tight spot
  16. staff — a stick
  17. staff — employees
  18. rash — on the skin
  19. jam — in traffic
  20. stand — on your feet
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. pass — a permit
  23. bat — for baseball
  24. hand — help

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