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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. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  2. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  5. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  6. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  7. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  8. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  9. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  10. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  11. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  12. The flowers bloom in the ________________.
  13. When will it ________________ you to start?
  14. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  15. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  16. The hotel is built around a mineral ________________.
  17. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  18. There's a broken ________________ in the bed.
  19. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  20. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  21. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  24. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.

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

Answer key

  1. pit — in a race
  2. bear — the animal
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. cap — of ice
  5. bear — the animal
  6. cap — a lid
  7. suit — in cards
  8. wound — past of 'wind'
  9. mark — a trace
  10. mark — to pay attention
  11. mark — a grade
  12. spring — the season
  13. suit — to fit
  14. bear — to put up with
  15. suit — clothes
  16. spring — of water
  17. wound — an injury
  18. spring — a coil
  19. pit — a hole
  20. pit — a fruit stone
  21. wound — an injury
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. lash — to lash out
  24. cap — a hat

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