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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  3. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  4. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  5. Thanks to his efforts, he attained his ________________.
  6. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  7. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  8. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  9. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  10. A valuable ________________ decreases in value if it is damaged.
  11. This piece is in a major ________________.
  12. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  15. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  16. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  17. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. How do you ________________ your surname?
  20. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  21. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  22. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  23. Why would I ________________ to a disabled ramp?
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. field — for sport
  3. pit — a hole
  4. stick — a piece of wood
  5. object — an aim
  6. lash — to lash out
  7. spell — a short time
  8. field — farmland
  9. stick — a piece of wood
  10. object — a thing
  11. key — in music
  12. stick — to attach or keep to
  13. court — for sport
  14. key — the most important part
  15. pit — a fruit stone
  16. court — of a king
  17. pit — in a race
  18. court — of law
  19. spell — letters
  20. key — for a lock
  21. spell — magic
  22. lash — a whip stroke
  23. object — to protest
  24. field — a subject

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