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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.

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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 cuffs of his ________________ jacket are badly frayed.
  2. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  3. Can you turn the ________________ on?
  4. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  5. When will it ________________ you to start?
  6. Roulette is a ________________ of chance.
  7. I am not a ________________ of shrimp.
  8. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  9. Excuse me, sorry ________________, you haven't got the time have you?
  10. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  11. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  12. The pointer is employed to find upland ________________.
  13. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Males and females first ________________ when two years old.
  16. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  17. Positive actions can inspire others to follow ________________.
  18. Have you found your soul ________________?
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Are you a huge ________________ of trains?
  21. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  22. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  23. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.
  24. That was a fun ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. suit — clothes
  2. track — a path
  3. fan — to cool the air
  4. lash — a whip stroke
  5. suit — to fit
  6. game — a kind of play
  7. fan — a supporter
  8. lash — to lash out
  9. mate — a friend
  10. ball — a round shape
  11. track — a song
  12. game — wild animals
  13. track — to keep track
  14. ball — a dance
  15. mate — to breed
  16. tear — to rip
  17. suit — in cards
  18. mate — a partner
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. fan — a supporter
  21. ball — a great time
  22. tear — from crying
  23. tear — from crying
  24. game — a match

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