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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. He asked the witch to reverse the ________________.
  5. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  6. Beijing is the ________________ of China.
  7. The beginning of a sentence starts with a ________________ letter.
  8. A second agreement was made due to the large amount of available ________________.
  9. We've had a long dry ________________ this summer.
  10. Sooner or later you'll have to ________________ the truth.
  11. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  12. Our bedroom windows ________________ the sea.
  13. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  14. How do you ________________ your surname?
  15. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  16. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  17. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  18. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  19. She had a strange look on her ________________.
  20. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  21. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  24. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. deal — a big deal
  3. deal — to handle
  4. spell — magic
  5. prune — to trim
  6. capital — a city
  7. capital — a big letter
  8. capital — money
  9. spell — a short time
  10. face — to confront
  11. pit — in a race
  12. face — to point toward
  13. pitch — a sales talk
  14. spell — letters
  15. pitch — completely
  16. deal — an agreement
  17. lash — a whip stroke
  18. prune — the fruit
  19. face — part of the head
  20. pit — a hole
  21. pitch — a sports field
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. pit — a fruit stone
  24. prune — to trim

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