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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 120 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  6. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  7. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. The ________________ went through the wall.
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  13. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. racket — for tennis
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. fork — to eat with
  6. racket — a loud noise
  7. nail — on a finger
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. nail — for a hammer
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. racket — for tennis
  13. cabinet — ministers
  14. fork — in a road
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. nail — for a hammer

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