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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 120 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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  3. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  6. It was raining hard, and to make things worse, the ________________ was beginning to rise.
  7. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  8. The strong ________________ blew his hat off.
  9. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  10. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  20. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  21. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  22. He sold his goods at a loss to ________________ up his business.
  23. He was locked up in a ________________.
  24. He keeps ________________ of his days.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. cell — a phone
  3. suit — in cards
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. rock — to move gently
  6. wind — moving air
  7. bowl — a dish
  8. wind — moving air
  9. track — a path
  10. bore — to tire
  11. cell — in biology
  12. rock — music
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. track — a song
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. suit — clothes
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. bore — to drill
  20. bore — gave birth
  21. rock — a stone
  22. wind — to turn a key
  23. cell — in a prison
  24. track — to keep track

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