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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. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  2. I like lots of butter on my ________________ in the morning.
  3. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  4. I would like to propose a ________________ on your birthday.
  5. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  6. Have you ever swallowed an apricot ________________?
  7. Jarno Trulli was disqualified for passing a red light at the ________________ exit.
  8. This is my favorite ________________ on the album.
  9. After the show, she was the ________________ of the town.
  10. Boris sat near the fire ________________.
  11. The sailing ship dropped anchor in the ________________.
  12. Drying a ________________ is more honorable than shedding torrents of blood.
  13. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  14. Close the lid of the trash can to keep odors and pests at ________________.
  15. It is only in accepting others that we can ________________ down our own barriers.
  16. Fill up this ________________ with water.
  17. He keeps ________________ of his days.
  18. The ________________ will go to the well once too often.
  19. He is an ace ________________.
  20. My mare is ________________ in color.
  21. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  22. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.
  23. The muddy ________________ descends to a valley.
  24. I cannot shed a ________________ for that horrible man.

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

Answer key

  1. lash — a whip stroke
  2. toast — bread
  3. march — the month
  4. toast — a drink to someone
  5. lash — an eyelash
  6. pit — a fruit stone
  7. pit — in a race
  8. track — a song
  9. toast — the most admired
  10. pit — a hole
  11. bay — a part of the sea
  12. tear — from crying
  13. march — the month
  14. bay — to keep at bay
  15. tear — to rip
  16. pitcher — a jug
  17. track — to keep track
  18. pitcher — a jug
  19. pitcher — in baseball
  20. bay — a horse colour
  21. march — music
  22. lash — to lash out
  23. track — a path
  24. tear — from crying

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