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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  3. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  4. When are we going to ________________?
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. How do you ________________ your surname?
  7. Algeria is a ________________ of gas and oil.
  8. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  9. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  10. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  11. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  12. Have you met the new head ________________?
  13. I'm the one who owns all this ________________.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  16. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  17. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  18. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  19. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  20. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  21. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  22. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. mark — a trace
  3. stick — a piece of wood
  4. land — to come down
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. spell — letters
  7. land — a country
  8. scale — for weighing
  9. coach — pulled by horses
  10. scale — in music
  11. spell — a short time
  12. coach — a trainer
  13. land — ground
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. roll — a list
  16. spell — magic
  17. mark — to pay attention
  18. mark — a grade
  19. scale — size or range
  20. stick — to attach or keep to
  21. roll — a cake
  22. coach — a trainer
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. lash — to lash out

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