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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 116 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. She's preparing to ________________ her idea to the investors.
  2. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  3. We need to ________________ with this problem right now.
  4. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  5. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  6. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  7. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  8. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  9. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  10. Part of that ________________ required him to leave the singing group.
  11. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  12. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  13. The room was ________________ black, so I couldn't see a thing.
  14. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  15. Did you ________________ the meat?
  16. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  17. Recycle the empty soda ________________.
  18. Tom opened a ________________ of soup.
  19. The players ran onto the football ________________.
  20. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  21. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  22. Don't make such a big ________________ out of small things.
  23. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  24. ________________ you help me carry this box?

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

Answer key

  1. pitch — a sales talk
  2. lash — a whip stroke
  3. deal — to handle
  4. mark — to pay attention
  5. fan — a supporter
  6. fan — to cool the air
  7. lash — to lash out
  8. craft — boats
  9. fan — a supporter
  10. deal — an agreement
  11. mark — a trace
  12. lash — an eyelash
  13. pitch — completely
  14. mark — a grade
  15. season — to add flavour
  16. season — of the year
  17. can — a tin
  18. can — a tin
  19. pitch — a sports field
  20. season — in sport
  21. craft — a skill
  22. deal — a big deal
  23. craft — a handicraft
  24. can — to be able to

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