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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  6. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  12. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  13. Have you settled on a ________________?
  14. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  15. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  16. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  17. I'll be taking the ________________.
  18. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  21. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  22. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  23. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  24. There's no middle ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. tube — a container
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. date — on the calendar
  6. lash — an eyelash
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. staff — employees
  10. ground — the earth
  11. staff — employees
  12. lash — to lash out
  13. date — on the calendar
  14. date — the fruit
  15. spell — magic
  16. safe — a strongbox
  17. tube — the underground
  18. tube — in a tire
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. safe — out of danger
  21. spell — a short time
  22. staff — a stick
  23. ground — crushed
  24. ground — a position

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