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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. That must've been a ________________.
  3. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  4. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  5. The polar ice ________________ is melting.
  6. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  7. We're on a ________________ here.
  8. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  9. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  10. The ________________ found him guilty of stealing money.
  11. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  12. When a clown is made king, the ________________ becomes a circus.
  13. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  14. The teacher called the ________________ to see who was absent.
  15. It's best to wear a ________________ on your head during the cold Moscow winters.
  16. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  17. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  18. Can you put the ________________ back on the pen?
  19. Grandma has made a Swiss ________________.
  20. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  21. That was a fun ________________.
  22. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  23. ________________ you help me carry this box?
  24. The ball is in your ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. rush — a thrill
  3. rush — hurry
  4. game — a kind of play
  5. cap — of ice
  6. can — a tin
  7. roll — on a roll
  8. foot — part of the body
  9. foot — the bottom
  10. court — of law
  11. can — a tin
  12. court — of a king
  13. rush — to hurry
  14. roll — a list
  15. cap — a hat
  16. lash — a whip stroke
  17. game — wild animals
  18. cap — a lid
  19. roll — a cake
  20. lash — to lash out
  21. game — a match
  22. foot — a measure
  23. can — to be able to
  24. court — for sport

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