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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. He was locked up in a ________________.
  2. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  3. We came to a ________________ in the road and had no idea which direction to go.
  4. The little girl was crying for the teddy ________________.
  5. Many happy returns to all who ________________ the name of a flower!
  6. Use a garden ________________ to turn the soil.
  7. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  8. He's the lead singer in a rock ________________.
  9. I haven't touched a tennis ________________ in years.
  10. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  11. Each ________________ is a complete and highly sophisticated living world in its own right.
  12. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  13. Our cat is sitting in the apple tree, and the birds are making a ________________.
  14. He put a rubber ________________ around the bundle of letters.
  15. I was having a ________________ recording these guys.
  16. He still wears his gold wedding ________________.
  17. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  18. The kitten curled into a ________________.
  19. The King held a masked ________________.
  20. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  21. He hit the ball with his ________________.
  22. Oh no! I wasn't paying attention and left my ________________ phone in the restaurant!
  23. A black ________________ roamed the forest.
  24. We usually eat with a knife, ________________ and spoon.

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

Answer key

  1. cell — in a prison
  2. lash — an eyelash
  3. fork — in a road
  4. bear — the animal
  5. bear — to put up with
  6. fork — a garden tool
  7. wave — with your hand
  8. band — a music group
  9. racket — for tennis
  10. wave — of the sea
  11. cell — in biology
  12. lash — a whip stroke
  13. racket — a loud noise
  14. band — a rubber band
  15. ball — a great time
  16. band — a ring
  17. lash — to lash out
  18. ball — a round shape
  19. ball — a dance
  20. wave — a sudden rise
  21. racket — for tennis
  22. cell — a phone
  23. bear — the animal
  24. fork — to eat with

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