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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 124 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 old man leaned on his ________________.
  2. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  3. The bus was late because of the traffic ________________.
  4. There's no middle ________________.
  5. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  6. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  7. Add some ________________ pepper to it.
  8. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  9. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  12. The ________________ was covered with snow, as far as the eye could see.
  13. David sat on the ________________.
  14. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  15. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  16. Would you like some apricot ________________?
  17. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.
  18. Tom got himself in a ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  21. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  22. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  23. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. staff — a stick
  2. lie — to recline
  3. jam — in traffic
  4. ground — a position
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. staff — employees
  7. ground — crushed
  8. swing — in golf
  9. swing — music
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. field — farmland
  12. ground — the earth
  13. swing — to play on
  14. field — for sport
  15. can — a tin
  16. jam — to spread on bread
  17. staff — employees
  18. jam — a tight spot
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. can — a tin
  21. field — a subject
  22. can — to be able to
  23. lie — an untruth
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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