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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. How do you ________________ your surname?
  2. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  5. The speedboat left a long ________________ behind it.
  6. I didn't ________________ up well this morning.
  7. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  8. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  9. Friends gathered at the ________________ to remember him.
  10. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  11. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  12. My mare is ________________ in color.
  13. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  14. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  15. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  16. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  17. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  18. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  19. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  20. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  21. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  22. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  23. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  24. The spa offers ________________ extensions.

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

Answer key

  1. spell — letters
  2. lash — to lash out
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. bass — low music
  5. wake — a trail
  6. wake — to stop sleeping
  7. pitch — a sports field
  8. bay — to keep at bay
  9. wake — before a funeral
  10. spell — a short time
  11. bass — the fish
  12. bay — a horse colour
  13. snap — to speak sharply
  14. spell — magic
  15. snap — to snap out of it
  16. fine — a penalty
  17. fine — all right
  18. snap — to click
  19. pitch — a sales talk
  20. bass — the instrument
  21. bay — a part of the sea
  22. fine — high quality
  23. pitch — completely
  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