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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 116 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. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  2. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  3. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  4. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  5. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  6. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  7. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  8. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  11. He is an ace ________________.
  12. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  13. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  14. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  15. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  16. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  17. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  18. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  21. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  22. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  23. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  24. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a great time
  2. mark — a grade
  3. lash — an eyelash
  4. racket — a loud noise
  5. lash — to lash out
  6. band — a rubber band
  7. lash — a whip stroke
  8. mark — to pay attention
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. pitcher — a jug
  11. pitcher — in baseball
  12. net — after costs
  13. rock — a stone
  14. net — in sport
  15. net — for catching
  16. band — a music group
  17. racket — for tennis
  18. rock — music
  19. ball — a dance
  20. band — a ring
  21. ball — a round shape
  22. racket — for tennis
  23. mark — a trace
  24. pitcher — a jug

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