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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  4. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  5. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  8. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  9. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  10. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  11. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  12. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  15. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  16. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  17. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  18. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  19. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  20. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  21. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  22. The ________________ market has crashed.
  23. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  24. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. track — a path
  3. bear — the animal
  4. fork — to eat with
  5. track — a song
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. pass — to succeed
  8. pass — to spend time
  9. pass — a permit
  10. bear — the animal
  11. fork — in a road
  12. stock — a soup base
  13. track — to keep track
  14. fork — a garden tool
  15. vault — an arched ceiling
  16. clip — a video
  17. clip — for paper
  18. bear — to put up with
  19. lash — a whip stroke
  20. stock — goods
  21. vault — a safe
  22. stock — shares
  23. clip — to cut
  24. vault — in gymnastics

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