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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. We're on a ________________ here.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. A drowning man will clutch at a ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Your daily life is your ________________ and your religion.
  6. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. A trickle of blood ran from her ________________ down her cheek.
  9. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  10. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  11. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  12. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  13. It always has to be a ________________ man with them.
  14. When was this ________________ built?
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  17. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  18. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  19. The goat rested comfortably on a soft bed of ________________.
  20. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  21. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  22. There's no middle ________________.
  23. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  24. He hit the ball with his ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. roll — on a roll
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. straw — to clutch at straws
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. temple — a place of worship
  6. hide — animal skin
  7. ground — crushed
  8. temple — side of the head
  9. fork — in a road
  10. ground — the earth
  11. roll — a list
  12. fork — to eat with
  13. straw — a straw man
  14. temple — a place of worship
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. hide — to keep secret
  17. roll — a cake
  18. racket — a loud noise
  19. straw — dry grass
  20. hide — to keep secret
  21. fork — a garden tool
  22. ground — a position
  23. racket — for tennis
  24. racket — for tennis

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