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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. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  2. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  3. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  4. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  5. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  6. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  7. ________________ is common in the lakes of Sweden.
  8. Have you found your soul ________________?
  9. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  10. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  11. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  14. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  15. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  16. The owl hooted softly from its ________________.
  17. The birds use the scarecrow as a ________________.
  18. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  19. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  20. There's no middle ________________.
  21. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  22. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  23. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  24. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — to lash out
  2. bowl — to roll
  3. wave — with your hand
  4. ground — crushed
  5. fine — all right
  6. wave — a sudden rise
  7. perch — the fish
  8. mate — a partner
  9. ruler — for measuring
  10. mate — to breed
  11. ruler — for measuring
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. lash — an eyelash
  14. lash — a whip stroke
  15. ruler — a monarch
  16. perch — for a bird
  17. perch — for a bird
  18. fine — high quality
  19. mate — a friend
  20. ground — a position
  21. wave — of the sea
  22. ground — the earth
  23. bowl — a football final
  24. fine — a penalty

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