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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. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  2. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Have you met the new head ________________?
  5. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  8. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  9. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  10. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  15. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  16. Have you found your soul ________________?
  17. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  18. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  19. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  20. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  21. You don't need to ________________ round.
  22. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  23. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  24. He has no idea where the ________________ is.

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

Answer key

  1. pop — music
  2. stick — to attach or keep to
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. stick — a piece of wood
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. cap — of ice
  8. cap — a hat
  9. safe — out of danger
  10. craft — a skill
  11. pop — soda
  12. craft — boats
  13. mate — a friend
  14. coach — a trainer
  15. cap — a lid
  16. mate — a partner
  17. stick — a piece of wood
  18. mate — to breed
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. craft — a handicraft
  21. pop — to visit
  22. coach — pulled by horses
  23. lash — an eyelash
  24. safe — a strongbox

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