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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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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: bay · pound · fan · rock · pass · racket · net · lash

  1. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  6. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  10. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  11. My mare is ________________ in color.
  12. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. Rodrigo's family went to the dog ________________ to adopt a dog.
  15. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  18. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  19. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  20. A ________________ is equal to sixteen ounces.
  21. Jeff had to ________________ the pavement for three months before he found a job.
  22. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. fan — a supporter
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. pass — to spend time
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. racket — a loud noise
  6. rock — a stone
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. net — for catching
  9. lash — an eyelash
  10. net — after costs
  11. bay — a horse colour
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. pound — for dogs
  15. net — in sport
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. fan — to cool the air
  18. fan — a supporter
  19. pass — a permit
  20. pound — a weight
  21. pound — to hit hard
  22. bay — to keep at bay
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. rock — 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