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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. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  7. Did you ________________ the meat?
  8. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  9. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  12. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  13. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  14. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  17. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  22. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  23. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  24. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.

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

Answer key

  1. stick — a piece of wood
  2. pit — a hole
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. pit — a fruit stone
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. stick — to attach or keep to
  7. season — to add flavour
  8. face — to confront
  9. pit — in a race
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. bear — the animal
  12. track — a song
  13. season — of the year
  14. club — for dancing
  15. club — for golf
  16. track — a path
  17. season — in sport
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. bear — to put up with
  20. club — a group
  21. track — to keep track
  22. bear — the animal
  23. face — part of the head
  24. face — to point toward

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