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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 felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. The ball is in your ________________.
  3. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  4. Check the label for the sugar ________________.
  5. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  6. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  7. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  8. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  15. Buy me a box of chocolates and I'll be ________________.
  16. The King held a masked ________________.
  17. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  18. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  19. TikTok makes it very easy to create ________________.
  20. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  21. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  22. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  23. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. court — for sport
  3. wake — to stop sleeping
  4. content — the amount
  5. toast — the most admired
  6. wake — a trail
  7. pass — a permit
  8. ball — a great time
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. toast — a drink to someone
  11. mark — a grade
  12. pass — to spend time
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. court — of law
  15. content — happy
  16. ball — a dance
  17. ball — a round shape
  18. toast — bread
  19. content — videos and posts
  20. mark — to pay attention
  21. court — of a king
  22. mark — a trace
  23. pass — to succeed
  24. lash — an eyelash

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