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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 108 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 in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  3. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  7. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  8. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  9. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  12. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  15. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  16. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  17. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  18. What was your ________________ profit last year?

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. staff — employees
  3. leaves — to go away
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. net — for catching
  7. mark — to pay attention
  8. mark — a grade
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. net — in sport
  12. staff — employees
  13. mark — a trace
  14. leaves — lets stay
  15. staff — a stick
  16. leaves — of a tree
  17. racket — a loud noise
  18. net — after costs

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