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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. David sat on the ________________.
  3. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  4. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  5. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  6. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  7. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  8. Did you ________________ the meat?
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  14. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  15. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  16. How do you ________________ your surname?
  17. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  18. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  19. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  20. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  21. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  22. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  24. I would like to have a ________________ here.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. swing — to play on
  3. spell — magic
  4. swing — music
  5. rest — what's left
  6. spell — a short time
  7. object — to protest
  8. season — to add flavour
  9. mark — a trace
  10. object — an aim
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. chip — to eat
  14. object — a thing
  15. swing — in golf
  16. spell — letters
  17. mark — a grade
  18. chip — for betting
  19. mark — to pay attention
  20. chip — in a computer
  21. season — in sport
  22. rest — what's left
  23. season — of the year
  24. rest — a break

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