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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  6. We've got to handle this with ________________ gloves.
  7. There's no middle ________________.
  8. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. Where did you ________________ them?
  11. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  12. Don't ________________ yourself. You couldn't afford to buy a house like this.
  13. He is an ace ________________.
  14. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  15. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  16. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  17. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  20. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  21. I had chicken pox when I was a ________________.
  22. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. ground — the earth
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. spring — the season
  6. kid — young goat (kid gloves)
  7. ground — a position
  8. spring — a coil
  9. mug — a cup
  10. mug — to rob
  11. bowl — a football final
  12. kid — to tease
  13. pitcher — in baseball
  14. foot — part of the body
  15. pitcher — a jug
  16. foot — the bottom
  17. mug — a face
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. bowl — to roll
  20. spring — of water
  21. kid — child
  22. bowl — a dish
  23. ground — crushed
  24. foot — a measure

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