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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. Its rival in the ________________ War, the Soviet Union, exploited this at the time.
  2. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  3. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  9. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  10. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  11. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  12. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  15. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  16. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  17. I had a bad ________________ and was in bed for a week.
  18. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  19. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  20. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  21. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  22. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  23. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  24. The water is too ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. cold — the Cold War
  2. foot — a measure
  3. foot — the bottom
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. mark — a grade
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. stick — to attach or keep to
  9. pitch — completely
  10. foot — part of the body
  11. pitch — a sports field
  12. cap — a hat
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. bass — low music
  15. pitch — a sales talk
  16. bass — the instrument
  17. cold — an illness
  18. mark — a trace
  19. cap — a lid
  20. bass — the fish
  21. mark — to pay attention
  22. cap — of ice
  23. stick — a piece of wood
  24. cold — not warm

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