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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. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  3. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  4. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  5. Have you found your soul ________________?
  6. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  9. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  12. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  15. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  16. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  17. That was ________________ to happen.
  18. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  19. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  22. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  23. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  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. lash — an eyelash
  2. net — after costs
  3. vault — an arched ceiling
  4. net — in sport
  5. mate — a partner
  6. hand — in cards
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. fine — a penalty
  9. bound — tied together
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. net — for catching
  12. bound — obliged
  13. fine — high quality
  14. pit — in a race
  15. fine — all right
  16. mate — a friend
  17. bound — certain
  18. hand — part of the body
  19. mate — to breed
  20. pit — a hole
  21. vault — in gymnastics
  22. hand — help
  23. vault — a safe
  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