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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 spa offers ________________ extensions.
  2. The kitchen ________________ is next to the microwave.
  3. Nobody expected a disaster on this ________________.
  4. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  5. My rich neighbors belong to a private golf ________________.
  6. Later, his shop becomes a ________________ with young dancers.
  7. It seems a cruel thing to ________________ a bird's wings.
  8. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  9. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  10. How can I extract the audio from a video ________________?
  11. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  12. The ________________ market has crashed.
  13. My father caught me by the ________________.
  14. Did you ________________ the meat?
  15. Every pianist practices the C major ________________.
  16. What's the difference between broth and ________________?
  17. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  18. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  19. Hold the papers together with a ________________.
  20. I belonged to the harmonica ________________ in my high school days.
  21. The supermarket has a large ________________ of merchandise.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  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. lash — an eyelash
  2. scale — for weighing
  3. scale — size or range
  4. season — in sport
  5. club — for golf
  6. club — for dancing
  7. clip — to cut
  8. pit — a fruit stone
  9. arm — part of the body
  10. clip — a video
  11. pit — a hole
  12. stock — shares
  13. arm — part of the body
  14. season — to add flavour
  15. scale — in music
  16. stock — a soup base
  17. arm — a part of something
  18. pit — in a race
  19. clip — for paper
  20. club — a group
  21. stock — goods
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. season — of the year
  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