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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  4. He's quite ________________, isn't he?
  5. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  6. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  9. This knife is not ________________ enough.
  10. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  14. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  15. It's one o'clock ________________.
  16. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  17. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  18. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. prune — to trim
  4. sharp — clever
  5. deal — an agreement
  6. pit — a hole
  7. pit — in a race
  8. prune — the fruit
  9. sharp — with an edge
  10. deal — a big deal
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. board — a flat piece
  14. board — to get on
  15. sharp — exactly
  16. board — a committee
  17. prune — to trim
  18. deal — to handle

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