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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  5. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  6. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  9. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  10. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  11. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  12. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. racket — for tennis
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. ruler — a monarch
  5. wave — of the sea
  6. cap — a hat
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. wave — a sudden rise
  9. cap — of ice
  10. dip — to dunk
  11. lash — a whip stroke
  12. ruler — for measuring
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. cap — a lid
  16. mark — a trace
  17. dip — a sauce
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. dip — to sink
  20. pit — a hole
  21. mark — a grade
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. ruler — for measuring
  24. racket — for tennis

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