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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 124 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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. Have you found your soul ________________?
  3. The ________________ hangs upside down in the cave.
  4. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  5. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  6. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  7. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  8. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  11. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  12. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  13. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  14. The ________________ was stolen yesterday, along with the balls.
  15. Tom didn't even ________________ an eye.
  16. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  17. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. When was this ________________ built?
  20. Where did you ________________ them?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  23. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  24. The ________________ change colour in autumn.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. mate — a partner
  3. bat — the animal
  4. mug — a cup
  5. wave — a sudden rise
  6. mug — a face
  7. leaves — to go away
  8. bowl — a dish
  9. mate — a friend
  10. temple — a place of worship
  11. lash — an eyelash
  12. wave — of the sea
  13. bowl — to roll
  14. bat — for baseball
  15. bat — in an idiom
  16. wave — with your hand
  17. temple — side of the head
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. temple — a place of worship
  20. mug — to rob
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. mate — to breed
  23. leaves — lets stay
  24. leaves — of a tree

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