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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.

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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. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  11. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  14. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  17. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  18. Where did you ________________ them?

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

Answer key

  1. object — a thing
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. net — in sport
  5. prune — to trim
  6. object — an aim
  7. object — to protest
  8. net — for catching
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. mug — a cup
  11. net — after costs
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. mug — a face
  14. prune — the fruit
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. bowl — a football final
  17. prune — to trim
  18. mug — to rob

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