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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. There's no middle ________________.
  2. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  3. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  4. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  5. I can't ________________ this cold.
  6. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  7. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  8. The ball is in your ________________.
  9. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  13. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  14. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  15. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  16. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  17. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  18. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  19. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  20. Have you found your soul ________________?
  21. Don't do anything ________________.
  22. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  23. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  24. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ground — a position
  2. file — a document
  3. stand — for spectators
  4. rash — a series
  5. stand — to bear
  6. rash — on the skin
  7. mate — to breed
  8. court — for sport
  9. court — of law
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. file — a tool
  12. stand — on your feet
  13. mate — a friend
  14. rock — music
  15. lash — to lash out
  16. ground — crushed
  17. lash — an eyelash
  18. rock — to move gently
  19. rock — a stone
  20. mate — a partner
  21. rash — hasty
  22. court — of a king
  23. ground — the earth
  24. file — a line of people

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