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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. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  5. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. My mare is ________________ in color.
  9. The King held a masked ________________.
  10. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. He was blown up by a land ________________.
  14. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  15. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  16. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  17. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  18. I met an old friend of ________________ the other day.
  19. She's sitting on a gold ________________.
  20. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  21. Have you met the new head ________________?
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  24. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. coach — a trainer
  5. cabinet — ministers
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. bay — a horse colour
  9. ball — a dance
  10. ball — a great time
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. mine — an explosive
  14. ball — a round shape
  15. racket — for tennis
  16. bay — to keep at bay
  17. cabinet — a cupboard
  18. mine — belonging to me
  19. mine — for digging
  20. stick — a piece of wood
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. coach — pulled by horses
  24. stick — to attach or keep to

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