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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.

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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. The King held a masked ________________.
  3. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  4. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  7. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  8. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  9. Have you found your soul ________________?
  10. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  11. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  12. I'll be taking the ________________.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  15. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  18. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  19. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  20. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  23. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  24. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. ball — a dance
  3. pitch — a sports field
  4. safe — out of danger
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. patient — a sick person
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. mate — to breed
  9. mate — a partner
  10. mate — a friend
  11. pitch — completely
  12. tube — the underground
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. tube — in a tire
  15. straw — to clutch at straws
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. patient — a sick person
  18. tube — a container
  19. lash — to lash out
  20. straw — dry grass
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. ball — a round shape
  23. ball — a great time
  24. straw — a straw man

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