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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.

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: pass · lash · march · saw · mine · wake · calf · racket

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  5. The giraffe protected her ________________ with great courage.
  6. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  10. He works in a ________________ mill.
  11. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  12. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  13. The giraffe did all she could to defend her ________________.
  14. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  17. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  18. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  21. He had ________________ pain while walking.
  22. She's very handy with a ________________.
  23. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  24. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. march — the month
  5. calf — a young animal
  6. mine — an explosive
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. saw — past of 'see'
  10. saw — the tool
  11. wake — to stop sleeping
  12. march — the month
  13. calf — a young animal
  14. mine — belonging to me
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. wake — a trail
  17. wake — before a funeral
  18. mine — for digging
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. lash — an eyelash
  21. calf — of the leg
  22. saw — the tool
  23. pass — a permit
  24. march — music

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