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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 coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  2. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  3. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  4. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  5. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  6. I'll be taking the ________________.
  7. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  8. I need a new inner ________________ for my bike tire.
  9. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  12. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  13. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  14. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  15. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  16. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  17. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  18. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  19. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  20. David sat on the ________________.
  21. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. I want a large ________________ of toothpaste.
  24. Is it ________________ for us to be here?

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

Answer key

  1. swing — in golf
  2. pit — a hole
  3. pit — in a race
  4. track — to keep track
  5. safe — a strongbox
  6. tube — the underground
  7. pit — a fruit stone
  8. tube — in a tire
  9. tear — to rip
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. craft — a skill
  12. track — a path
  13. swing — music
  14. safe — out of danger
  15. tear — from crying
  16. craft — boats
  17. tear — from crying
  18. lash — a whip stroke
  19. track — a song
  20. swing — to play on
  21. craft — a handicraft
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. tube — a container
  24. safe — out of danger

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