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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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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: swing · rest · stem · racket · pass · bear · cabinet · bowl

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  3. David sat on the ________________.
  4. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  7. What do you think of the new ________________?
  8. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  9. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  12. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  16. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  17. Scientists study ________________ cells to repair damaged tissue.
  18. The big green plant was starting to droop at the ________________.
  19. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  20. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  24. Many English words ________________ from Latin.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. pass — to succeed
  3. swing — to play on
  4. pass — to spend time
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. swing — in golf
  7. cabinet — ministers
  8. bear — to put up with
  9. rest — a break
  10. bear — the animal
  11. bowl — a dish
  12. rest — what's left
  13. swing — music
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. pass — a permit
  16. racket — a loud noise
  17. stem — a stem cell
  18. stem — of a plant
  19. cabinet — a cupboard
  20. bear — the animal
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. rest — what's left
  23. bowl — to roll
  24. stem — to come from

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