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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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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: stand · chest · fork · pit · bowl · pass · straw · racket

  1. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  7. I can't ________________ this cold.
  8. I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my ________________.
  9. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  10. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  11. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  15. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  16. She laid her head on my ________________ so she could listen to my heartbeat.
  17. The lid of the ________________ creaked open.
  18. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  19. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  22. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  24. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. straw — a straw man
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. pass — to succeed
  7. stand — to bear
  8. chest — of your body
  9. bowl — to roll
  10. bowl — a football final
  11. racket — a loud noise
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. pit — in a race
  14. stand — for spectators
  15. fork — to eat with
  16. chest — of your body
  17. chest — a box
  18. pass — a permit
  19. bowl — a dish
  20. fork — in a road
  21. pit — a hole
  22. straw — dry grass
  23. fork — a garden tool
  24. pass — to spend time

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