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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  5. The ________________ took off on time.
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. She's very handy with a ________________.
  8. He works in a ________________ mill.
  9. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  12. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. The ________________ market has crashed.
  16. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  17. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  18. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  19. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. club — for golf
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. stock — a soup base
  5. plane — an aircraft
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. saw — the tool
  8. saw — the tool
  9. club — a group
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. snap — to snap out of it
  12. plane — in geometry
  13. pit — in a race
  14. club — for dancing
  15. stock — shares
  16. pit — a fruit stone
  17. snap — to speak sharply
  18. hide — animal skin
  19. hide — to keep secret
  20. stock — goods
  21. plane — a tool
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. snap — to click

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