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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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468
Word bank
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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. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. How do you ________________ your surname?
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  7. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  8. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  9. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  12. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  13. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  14. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  15. What do you think of the new ________________?
  16. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  17. The King held a masked ________________.
  18. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  19. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  20. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  23. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  24. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. spell — letters
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. deal — to handle
  7. coach — pulled by horses
  8. object — a thing
  9. cabinet — ministers
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. spell — magic
  12. ball — a round shape
  13. coach — a trainer
  14. cabinet — a cupboard
  15. cabinet — ministers
  16. stick — a piece of wood
  17. ball — a dance
  18. object — an aim
  19. ball — a great time
  20. object — to protest
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. stick — a piece of wood
  23. deal — an agreement
  24. spell — a short time

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