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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: rock · chair · rush · game · object · craft · pass · racket

  1. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  2. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  5. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  8. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  9. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  10. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  11. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  12. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  13. That must've been a ________________.
  14. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  15. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  16. That was a fun ________________.
  17. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  18. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  19. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  20. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  21. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  22. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  23. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  24. Take your time. There's no ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. object — an aim
  2. racket — a loud noise
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. craft — a skill
  5. racket — for tennis
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. craft — a handicraft
  8. rock — a stone
  9. chair — a professorship
  10. pass — a permit
  11. pass — to succeed
  12. chair — to sit on
  13. rush — a thrill
  14. chair — a leader
  15. craft — boats
  16. game — a match
  17. rock — music
  18. object — to protest
  19. pass — to spend time
  20. game — wild animals
  21. rock — to move gently
  22. rush — to hurry
  23. object — a thing
  24. rush — hurry

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