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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  3. Have you met the new head ________________?
  4. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  5. That must've been a ________________.
  6. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  7. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  8. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  9. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  13. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  14. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  15. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  16. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  17. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  20. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  21. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  22. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  23. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  24. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. club — a group
  3. coach — a trainer
  4. scale — in music
  5. rush — a thrill
  6. rush — hurry
  7. pit — a hole
  8. club — for dancing
  9. rush — to hurry
  10. club — for golf
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. coach — pulled by horses
  13. root — of a plant
  14. scale — for weighing
  15. scale — size or range
  16. squash — the sport
  17. pit — a fruit stone
  18. pit — in a race
  19. coach — a trainer
  20. lash — a whip stroke
  21. root — of a word
  22. squash — the vegetable
  23. squash — to crush
  24. root — the cause

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