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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 was blown up by a land ________________.
  2. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  3. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  6. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  7. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  8. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  9. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  10. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  11. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  12. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  13. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  14. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Have you met the new head ________________?
  17. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  18. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  21. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  24. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.

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

Answer key

  1. mine — an explosive
  2. cabinet — ministers
  3. ruler — for measuring
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. coach — a trainer
  6. bowl — a dish
  7. pitch — a sales talk
  8. mine — for digging
  9. spring — of water
  10. ruler — for measuring
  11. ruler — a monarch
  12. bowl — to roll
  13. spring — the season
  14. bowl — a football final
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. coach — a trainer
  17. coach — pulled by horses
  18. pitch — a sports field
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. cabinet — a cupboard
  21. pitch — completely
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. mine — belonging to me
  24. spring — a coil

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