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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 haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  2. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  3. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  4. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  5. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  6. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  7. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  8. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  9. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  10. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  11. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  14. That must've been a ________________.
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  17. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  18. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  19. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  20. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  21. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  22. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  23. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. hide — animal skin
  3. scale — in music
  4. bay — to keep at bay
  5. rush — hurry
  6. squash — to crush
  7. squash — the sport
  8. squash — the vegetable
  9. hide — to keep secret
  10. racket — a loud noise
  11. patient — a sick person
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. lash — a whip stroke
  14. rush — a thrill
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. patient — calm and waiting
  17. scale — size or range
  18. hide — to keep secret
  19. scale — for weighing
  20. racket — for tennis
  21. rush — to hurry
  22. patient — a sick person
  23. bay — a part of the sea
  24. lash — an eyelash

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