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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 120 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. Vegetables are growing on this ________________.
  2. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  3. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  4. She's an expert in the ________________ of medicine.
  5. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  6. I don't want to ________________ the boat.
  7. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  8. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  9. I thought I heard a ________________ in the kitchen.
  10. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  11. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  12. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  13. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  14. The King held a masked ________________.
  15. Should I buy a wireless ________________?
  16. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  17. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.
  18. The stadium has a track around the football ________________.
  19. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  20. "I don't like games like this," squeaked the ________________.
  21. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  22. Which do you like better, ________________ music or classical music?
  23. We were using a ________________ as a seat.
  24. The kitten curled into a ________________.

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

Answer key

  1. field — farmland
  2. dip — to sink
  3. lash — a whip stroke
  4. field — a subject
  5. dip — to dunk
  6. rock — to move gently
  7. safe — out of danger
  8. fork — a garden tool
  9. mouse — the animal
  10. lash — an eyelash
  11. ball — a great time
  12. safe — a strongbox
  13. dip — a sauce
  14. ball — a dance
  15. mouse — for a computer
  16. fork — in a road
  17. fork — to eat with
  18. field — for sport
  19. safe — out of danger
  20. mouse — the animal
  21. lash — to lash out
  22. rock — music
  23. rock — a stone
  24. ball — a round shape

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