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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 120 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. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  2. Where did you ________________ them?
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  7. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  8. The newcomer sat down at the ________________ of the table.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  11. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  12. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  13. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  14. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  15. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  16. I have a corn on my right ________________.
  17. Heather can grow to a ________________ or so tall.
  18. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  19. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  20. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  21. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  22. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  23. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  24. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.

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

Answer key

  1. deal — an agreement
  2. mug — to rob
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. mug — a face
  5. prune — to trim
  6. mug — a cup
  7. deal — a big deal
  8. foot — the bottom
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. prune — the fruit
  11. club — for dancing
  12. prune — to trim
  13. fine — high quality
  14. field — farmland
  15. club — a group
  16. foot — part of the body
  17. foot — a measure
  18. fine — all right
  19. fine — a penalty
  20. club — for golf
  21. field — for sport
  22. lash — an eyelash
  23. deal — to handle
  24. field — a subject

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