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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 felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  4. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  5. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  6. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  7. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  8. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  9. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. We wanted to take a walk to ________________ the time.
  12. No doubt you will be able to ________________ the examination.
  13. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  14. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. You can't go backstage without a ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  21. How do you ________________ your surname?
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. field — farmland
  3. field — for sport
  4. mouse — the animal
  5. field — a subject
  6. ball — a great time
  7. rock — music
  8. mouse — the animal
  9. rock — to move gently
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. pass — to spend time
  12. pass — to succeed
  13. mark — a trace
  14. spell — a short time
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. pass — a permit
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. lash — an eyelash
  19. rock — a stone
  20. mark — a grade
  21. spell — letters
  22. ball — a dance
  23. spell — magic
  24. ball — a round shape

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