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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. You don't have to ________________ at me like that.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. What do you think of the new ________________?
  4. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  5. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  6. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. When I ________________ my fingers, you'll wake up.
  9. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  10. She took a metal box from the top of the kitchen ________________.
  11. In all probability, the ________________ will fall.
  12. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  13. The ball is in your ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  16. ________________ out of it! You haven't done a thing all week.
  17. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  18. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  19. That was a fun ________________.
  20. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  21. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  22. My mare is ________________ in color.
  23. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  24. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. snap — to speak sharply
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. cabinet — ministers
  4. deal — a big deal
  5. court — of a king
  6. game — wild animals
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. snap — to click
  9. bowl — a dish
  10. cabinet — a cupboard
  11. cabinet — ministers
  12. deal — an agreement
  13. court — for sport
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. bowl — to roll
  16. snap — to snap out of it
  17. deal — to handle
  18. court — of law
  19. game — a match
  20. bowl — a football final
  21. game — a kind of play
  22. bay — a horse colour
  23. lash — a whip stroke
  24. bay — a part of the sea

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