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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  3. The tickets are free of ________________.
  4. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  5. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  6. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  9. The information is stored in a ________________ on my computer.
  10. The cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  11. He rubbed the rust off with a ________________.
  12. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  13. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  14. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  15. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  16. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  17. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  18. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  19. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  20. When will it ________________ you to start?
  21. We walked down the narrow path in single ________________.
  22. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  23. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  24. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. field — farmland
  3. charge — a price
  4. field — for sport
  5. lash — a whip stroke
  6. field — a subject
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. hide — animal skin
  9. file — a document
  10. suit — clothes
  11. file — a tool
  12. bowl — a dish
  13. lash — to lash out
  14. hide — to keep secret
  15. charge — electricity
  16. rock — to move gently
  17. rock — a stone
  18. bowl — a football final
  19. charge — in control
  20. suit — to fit
  21. file — a line of people
  22. hide — to keep secret
  23. suit — in cards
  24. rock — music

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