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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. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  2. The captain is giving the order to ________________ the ship.
  3. The ball hit the back of the ________________.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  6. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  7. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  8. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  9. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  10. He took the fish out of the ________________.
  11. David sat on the ________________.
  12. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  13. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  14. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  15. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. What was your ________________ profit last year?
  18. Did you ________________ the meat?
  19. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  20. I'm currently on the ________________ of directors.
  21. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  22. ________________ games are popular in Germany.
  23. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. can — a tin
  2. board — to get on
  3. net — in sport
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. deal — a big deal
  6. season — in sport
  7. deal — to handle
  8. season — of the year
  9. prune — the fruit
  10. net — for catching
  11. swing — to play on
  12. swing — in golf
  13. can — to be able to
  14. deal — an agreement
  15. prune — to trim
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. net — after costs
  18. season — to add flavour
  19. can — a tin
  20. board — a committee
  21. prune — to trim
  22. board — a flat piece
  23. swing — music
  24. lash — an eyelash

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