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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. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  2. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  3. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  4. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  8. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  9. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  10. David sat on the ________________.
  11. That was ________________ to happen.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  16. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  17. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  18. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  19. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  20. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  21. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  22. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  23. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  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. net — in sport
  2. net — for catching
  3. spell — a short time
  4. pit — a hole
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. bound — obliged
  8. chip — for betting
  9. mark — a grade
  10. swing — to play on
  11. bound — certain
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. pit — in a race
  14. spell — letters
  15. chip — in a computer
  16. mark — a trace
  17. swing — in golf
  18. bound — tied together
  19. net — after costs
  20. spell — magic
  21. swing — music
  22. mark — to pay attention
  23. chip — to eat
  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