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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 120 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's very handy with a ________________.
  3. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  7. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  8. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  9. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  10. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  11. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  14. He works in a ________________ mill.
  15. How do you ________________ your surname?
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  22. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  23. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  24. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.

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

Answer key

  1. racket — for tennis
  2. saw — the tool
  3. wave — of the sea
  4. spell — magic
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. track — to keep track
  7. racket — for tennis
  8. pitch — completely
  9. lie — an untruth
  10. lie — an untruth
  11. wave — a sudden rise
  12. track — a path
  13. lie — to recline
  14. saw — the tool
  15. spell — letters
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. saw — past of 'see'
  19. track — a song
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. pitch — a sales talk
  22. racket — a loud noise
  23. spell — a short time
  24. wave — with your hand

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