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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 116 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. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  2. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  3. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  4. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. He is an ace ________________.
  7. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  8. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  9. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  12. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  13. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  16. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  17. That must've been a ________________.
  18. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  19. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  22. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  23. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  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. rush — to hurry
  2. board — a flat piece
  3. bowl — a football final
  4. pitcher — a jug
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. pitcher — in baseball
  7. racket — a loud noise
  8. pitcher — a jug
  9. ground — the earth
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. ground — crushed
  12. board — a committee
  13. racket — for tennis
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. fork — in a road
  16. racket — for tennis
  17. rush — a thrill
  18. lash — to lash out
  19. board — to get on
  20. ground — a position
  21. fork — to eat with
  22. rush — hurry
  23. fork — a garden tool
  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