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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: jam · mouse · lash · cabinet · ball · chair · field · pass

  1. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  2. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  3. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  4. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  7. The King held a masked ________________.
  8. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  9. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  16. What do you think of the new ________________?
  17. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  18. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  22. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  23. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  24. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.

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

Answer key

  1. pass — to succeed
  2. jam — a tight spot
  3. pass — a permit
  4. cabinet — a cupboard
  5. field — a subject
  6. mouse — the animal
  7. ball — a dance
  8. chair — a professorship
  9. chair — a leader
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. mouse — for a computer
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. jam — to spread on bread
  16. cabinet — ministers
  17. jam — in traffic
  18. field — farmland
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. chair — to sit on
  22. field — for sport
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. ball — a great 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