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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. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  4. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He reached out and took down a small leather ________________ book.
  7. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  8. We are ________________ to obey laws.
  9. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  10. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  11. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  12. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  16. That was ________________ to happen.
  17. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  18. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  19. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  20. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  21. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  22. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  23. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  24. She had a strange look on her ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. club — for dancing
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. chair — to sit on
  4. chair — a leader
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. bound — tied together
  7. lash — an eyelash
  8. bound — obliged
  9. face — to point toward
  10. mark — a trace
  11. face — to confront
  12. season — in sport
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. mark — a grade
  15. club — for golf
  16. bound — certain
  17. vault — in gymnastics
  18. chair — a professorship
  19. club — a group
  20. vault — a safe
  21. vault — an arched ceiling
  22. season — of the year
  23. mark — to pay attention
  24. face — part of the head

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