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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 King held a masked ________________.
  2. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  3. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  4. The light ________________ burned out.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  7. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  10. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  15. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  16. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  17. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  22. I've got to change the light ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  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. ball — a dance
  2. ball — a round shape
  3. mark — to pay attention
  4. bulb — for light
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. mate — a friend
  7. chip — in a computer
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. chip — to eat
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. mate — to breed
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. bass — the instrument
  15. mark — a grade
  16. chip — for betting
  17. bulb — of a plant
  18. mate — a partner
  19. ball — a great time
  20. bass — the fish
  21. bass — low music
  22. bulb — for light
  23. mark — a trace
  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