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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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  7. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  8. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  9. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  10. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  11. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  12. This piece is in a major ________________.
  13. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  14. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  17. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  20. The King held a masked ________________.
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. snap — to speak sharply
  4. prune — to trim
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. snap — to click
  7. prune — the fruit
  8. prune — to trim
  9. fine — high quality
  10. fine — all right
  11. bowl — to roll
  12. key — in music
  13. snap — to snap out of it
  14. key — for a lock
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. bowl — a dish
  17. pit — a hole
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. key — the most important part
  20. ball — a dance
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. pit — in a race
  24. fine — a penalty

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