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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. My partner was ________________ at the birth of our baby.
  2. We're almost out of ________________.
  3. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  4. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  5. He spent years learning his ________________ as a carpenter.
  6. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  7. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  8. Flower arranging is a traditional ________________ in Japan.
  9. Small ________________ should stay in the harbor during the storm.
  10. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  11. Did you get a birthday ________________ for him this year?
  12. Actually, the ________________ method has plenty of room for improvement.
  13. Why are you trying to ________________ your feelings?
  14. David sat on the ________________.
  15. In jazz, ________________ was gradually being replaced by bebop.
  16. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  17. We have nothing to ________________ here.
  18. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  19. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  20. You don't need to ________________ round.
  21. The coach helped Matthew straighten out his golf ________________, improving his game.
  22. She was laid on a cow-________________ and covered by a coarse woollen blanket.
  23. This piece is in a major ________________.
  24. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. present — there
  2. pop — soda
  3. lash — to lash out
  4. lash — an eyelash
  5. craft — a skill
  6. bowl — a football final
  7. bowl — to roll
  8. craft — a handicraft
  9. craft — boats
  10. bowl — a dish
  11. present — a gift
  12. present — the time now
  13. hide — to keep secret
  14. swing — to play on
  15. swing — music
  16. key — the most important part
  17. hide — to keep secret
  18. pop — music
  19. key — for a lock
  20. pop — to visit
  21. swing — in golf
  22. hide — animal skin
  23. key — in music
  24. lash — a whip stroke

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