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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. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  3. We're almost out of ________________.
  4. When I cough twice, that's your ________________ to come into the room.
  5. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  6. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  7. At ________________, we arrived at the village.
  8. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  9. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  10. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. He was locked up in a ________________.
  13. False peace will not ________________.
  14. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  17. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  18. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  19. I'll take my ________________ from you.
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  22. You can't play pool without a ________________ stick.
  23. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  24. Today is the ________________ day of the holidays. Back to school tomorrow!

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

Answer key

  1. lash — an eyelash
  2. bowl — a dish
  3. pop — soda
  4. cue — a signal
  5. wound — an injury
  6. wound — an injury
  7. last — finally
  8. pit — in a race
  9. cell — in biology
  10. lash — to lash out
  11. pit — a hole
  12. cell — in a prison
  13. last — to go on
  14. bowl — to roll
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. pop — music
  17. bowl — a football final
  18. pit — a fruit stone
  19. cue — a hint
  20. pop — to visit
  21. lash — a whip stroke
  22. cue — for pool
  23. cell — a phone
  24. last — final

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