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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  7. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  8. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  9. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  16. The ball is in your ________________.
  17. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  20. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  21. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  22. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. rock — music
  3. bear — the animal
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. court — of law
  7. mark — a trace
  8. jam — in traffic
  9. lash — a whip stroke
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. pit — a hole
  12. jam — a tight spot
  13. pit — in a race
  14. mark — a grade
  15. court — of a king
  16. court — for sport
  17. jam — to spread on bread
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. bear — the animal
  20. rock — to move gently
  21. bowl — to roll
  22. rock — a stone
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. bear — to put up with

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