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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. Did you ________________ the meat?
  3. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  4. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. The ceiling is a plaster ________________ painted with stars.
  7. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  8. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. My stomach aches so much that I can't ________________ asleep.
  11. The train ________________ at six o'clock.
  12. In the ________________, covers are put over the fans in trains.
  13. She ________________ him three sons and a daughter.
  14. Lukas kept the diamonds in a locked ________________.
  15. Champaud competed in the parallel bars, ________________, and pommel horse events.
  16. He who climbs up, will ________________ down.
  17. Use a drill to ________________ a hole in the wall.
  18. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  19. Doesn't taking care of babies ________________ you?
  20. He always ________________ the window open while he sleeps.
  21. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  22. The King held a masked ________________.
  23. The ________________ change colour in autumn.
  24. Spring is a pleasant ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. season — to add flavour
  3. ball — a great time
  4. lash — to lash out
  5. craft — a skill
  6. vault — an arched ceiling
  7. season — in sport
  8. ball — a round shape
  9. craft — boats
  10. fall — to drop
  11. leaves — to go away
  12. fall — the season
  13. bore — gave birth
  14. vault — a safe
  15. vault — in gymnastics
  16. fall — to drop
  17. bore — to drill
  18. craft — a handicraft
  19. bore — to tire
  20. leaves — lets stay
  21. lash — an eyelash
  22. ball — a dance
  23. leaves — of a tree
  24. season — of the year

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