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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 kitten curled into a ________________.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. He works in a ________________ mill.
  4. When will it ________________ you to start?
  5. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  8. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  9. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  10. Biology is a ________________ of science.
  11. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  15. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  16. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  17. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  18. She's very handy with a ________________.
  19. He chopped down the ________________ with an ax.
  20. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  21. Our bank has a ________________ near the station.
  22. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  23. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  24. The King held a masked ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. ball — a round shape
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. saw — the tool
  4. suit — to fit
  5. pitch — completely
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fork — to eat with
  8. trunk — of an elephant
  9. suit — clothes
  10. branch — a division
  11. lash — to lash out
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. suit — in cards
  15. trunk — of a car
  16. pitch — a sports field
  17. trunk — of a tree
  18. saw — the tool
  19. branch — of a tree
  20. fork — in a road
  21. branch — of a bank
  22. ball — a great time
  23. saw — past of 'see'
  24. ball — a dance

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