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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 116 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.

Make a worksheet

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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  5. He is an ace ________________.
  6. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. Have you met the new head ________________?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  11. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  14. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  15. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  16. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  17. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. chair — a leader
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. pitcher — in baseball
  6. chair — to sit on
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. coach — a trainer
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. pitch — completely
  11. pitcher — a jug
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. pitch — a sales talk
  15. coach — a trainer
  16. ruler — a monarch
  17. chair — a professorship
  18. pitch — a sports field

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