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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. She broke her ________________ while washing the dishes.
  4. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  5. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  6. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  9. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  10. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  11. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  12. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  13. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  14. He drove in a ________________ with his hammer.
  15. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  16. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  17. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  18. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  19. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  20. The ________________ went through the wall.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. Did you ________________ the meat?
  24. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. season — in sport
  3. nail — on a finger
  4. bowl — to roll
  5. season — of the year
  6. tear — to rip
  7. ground — crushed
  8. ground — the earth
  9. mouse — for a computer
  10. club — for golf
  11. mouse — the animal
  12. bowl — a football final
  13. tear — from crying
  14. nail — for a hammer
  15. lash — an eyelash
  16. lash — to lash out
  17. club — for dancing
  18. club — a group
  19. mouse — the animal
  20. nail — for a hammer
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. tear — from crying
  23. season — to add flavour
  24. bowl — a dish

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