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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 116 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: racket · craft · straw · pound · wake · lash · fan · pass

  1. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  4. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  5. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  6. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  7. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  15. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  16. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  17. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  18. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  19. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  22. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  23. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. wake — a trail
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. craft — a handicraft
  4. straw — to clutch at straws
  5. pass — a permit
  6. craft — boats
  7. straw — a straw man
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. craft — a skill
  11. pound — to hit hard
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. wake — before a funeral
  15. racket — a loud noise
  16. fan — to cool the air
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. wake — to stop sleeping
  19. pound — for dogs
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. fan — a supporter
  22. pass — to succeed
  23. pound — a weight
  24. lash — to lash out

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