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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  5. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  9. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  10. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  11. The King held a masked ________________.
  12. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  13. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  14. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  19. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  20. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  21. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  22. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  23. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  24. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. foot — the bottom
  5. mouse — the animal
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. fall — to drop
  10. cell — a phone
  11. ball — a dance
  12. pitch — a sports field
  13. fall — the season
  14. lash — to lash out
  15. pitch — completely
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. mouse — the animal
  19. mouse — for a computer
  20. racket — a loud noise
  21. cell — in biology
  22. fall — to drop
  23. foot — a measure
  24. pitch — a sales talk

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