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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: last · pass · straw · present · spring · object · ball · lash

  1. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  2. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  6. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  7. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  8. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  11. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  15. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!
  16. False peace will not ________________.
  17. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  18. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  19. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?

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

Answer key

  1. pass — a permit
  2. spring — the season
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. spring — of water
  6. object — a thing
  7. present — there
  8. last — finally
  9. ball — a dance
  10. present — the time now
  11. ball — a round shape
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. ball — a great time
  15. last — final
  16. last — to go on
  17. present — a gift
  18. straw — dry grass
  19. object — an aim
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. spring — a coil
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. object — to protest

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