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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. He is an ace ________________.
  2. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  5. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  6. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  7. He was locked up in a ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. We had a fire ________________ at school today.
  11. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  12. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  13. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  14. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  15. The soldiers did ________________ on the parade ground every morning.
  16. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  17. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  18. I need a ________________ to install the towel rack.
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  21. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  22. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  23. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  24. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!

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

Answer key

  1. pitcher — in baseball
  2. cell — in biology
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. can — a tin
  5. can — to be able to
  6. hide — to keep secret
  7. cell — in a prison
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. drill — a practice
  11. present — the time now
  12. present — a gift
  13. mouse — the animal
  14. present — there
  15. drill — army training
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. hide — animal skin
  18. drill — the tool
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. mouse — for a computer
  21. can — a tin
  22. pitcher — a jug
  23. mouse — the animal
  24. cell — a phone

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