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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 124 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. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  2. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  3. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  6. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  7. The dagger's metal was presumably from the same meteor ________________.
  8. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  9. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  10. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. He's taking a ________________ right now.
  13. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  14. We took cover from the thunder ________________.
  15. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  16. That must've been a ________________.
  17. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. mug — a face
  2. mug — a cup
  3. field — a subject
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. leaves — lets stay
  6. board — to get on
  7. shower — a meteor shower
  8. lash — an eyelash
  9. toast — a drink to someone
  10. board — a flat piece
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. shower — to wash
  13. field — farmland
  14. shower — rain
  15. rush — to hurry
  16. rush — a thrill
  17. toast — bread
  18. field — for sport
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. mug — to rob
  21. board — a committee
  22. rush — hurry
  23. toast — the most admired
  24. leaves — of a tree

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