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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.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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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. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  2. Is that Pat Hanrahan's ________________ looking hungry and willing.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  8. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  9. He refilled his coffee ________________.
  10. The ________________ of the members were all out of tune.
  11. I would like to have a ________________ here.
  12. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  13. A ________________ helps one to draw a straight line.
  14. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  15. Where did you ________________ them?
  16. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  17. Because of the accident, he'll have a limp for the ________________ of his life.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Borders were drawn on the map using a ________________, with no regard for cultural realities on the ground.
  20. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  21. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  22. The people resisted their cruel ________________.
  23. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  24. Can you turn the ________________ on?

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

Answer key

  1. pit — a hole
  2. mug — a face
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. pit — a fruit stone
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. lash — a whip stroke
  9. mug — a cup
  10. rest — what's left
  11. rest — a break
  12. fan — a supporter
  13. ruler — for measuring
  14. fork — in a road
  15. mug — to rob
  16. chair — a leader
  17. rest — what's left
  18. pit — in a race
  19. ruler — for measuring
  20. chair — to sit on
  21. chair — a professorship
  22. ruler — a monarch
  23. fork — to eat with
  24. fan — to cool the air

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