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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. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. That was a fun ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  6. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  7. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  8. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  9. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  10. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  11. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  12. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  13. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  14. My father caught me by the ________________.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  20. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  21. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  22. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  23. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — magic
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. game — a match
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. fork — in a road
  6. track — a song
  7. game — wild animals
  8. racket — for tennis
  9. track — to keep track
  10. chair — to sit on
  11. fork — a garden tool
  12. chair — a professorship
  13. fork — to eat with
  14. arm — part of the body
  15. spell — letters
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. track — a path
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. chair — a leader
  20. arm — part of the body
  21. racket — a loud noise
  22. spell — a short time
  23. arm — a part of something
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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