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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. I got dealt a bad ________________.
  2. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  3. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  4. He hasn't even shaken my ________________.
  5. Place the flour, butter and salt into a large clean ________________.
  6. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  7. I assure you, everything's ________________.
  8. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  9. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  10. This shop sells ________________ wines and cheeses.
  11. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  12. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  13. I got a ________________ for parking in the wrong place.
  14. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  15. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  16. Do you need a ________________ with that?
  17. It's your turn to ________________ the ball down the lane.
  18. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  19. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  20. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  21. Millions watch the Super ________________ every February.
  22. Have you settled on a ________________?
  23. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  24. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.

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

Answer key

  1. hand — in cards
  2. pit — in a race
  3. safe — out of danger
  4. hand — part of the body
  5. bowl — a dish
  6. lash — a whip stroke
  7. fine — all right
  8. safe — a strongbox
  9. lash — to lash out
  10. fine — high quality
  11. pit — a fruit stone
  12. row — to paddle
  13. fine — a penalty
  14. row — a quarrel
  15. date — the fruit
  16. hand — help
  17. bowl — to roll
  18. pit — a hole
  19. lash — an eyelash
  20. date — on the calendar
  21. bowl — a football final
  22. date — on the calendar
  23. safe — out of danger
  24. row — a line

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