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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. A ________________ is a sweet brown fruit from a palm tree.
  2. They retained the League and Cup in his second ________________.
  3. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  4. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  5. A ________________ is a veil over the lips.
  6. Hard work is the ________________ to success.
  7. This piece is in a major ________________.
  8. The hunter does not ________________ down with the prey.
  9. Did you ________________ the meat?
  10. He felt the sting of the whip's ________________.
  11. Spring is a pleasant ________________.
  12. Are you the only one who has a ________________ to this door?
  13. The president vowed to ________________ the mutiny.
  14. The spa offers ________________ extensions.
  15. I had a ________________ with my boss today.
  16. The girl drawing a picture in the first ________________ is my niece.
  17. We had to ________________ the boat across the lake.
  18. Have you settled on a ________________?
  19. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  20. Is it always a sin to tell a ________________?
  21. Why do cosmetics have an expiration ________________?
  22. I'd like to play a game of ________________.
  23. Cut the butternut ________________ into one-inch cubes.
  24. Don't ________________ out at me just because you're upset.

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

Answer key

  1. date — the fruit
  2. season — in sport
  3. chip — to eat
  4. chip — for betting
  5. lie — an untruth
  6. key — the most important part
  7. key — in music
  8. lie — to recline
  9. season — to add flavour
  10. lash — a whip stroke
  11. season — of the year
  12. key — for a lock
  13. squash — to crush
  14. lash — an eyelash
  15. row — a quarrel
  16. row — a line
  17. row — to paddle
  18. date — on the calendar
  19. chip — in a computer
  20. lie — an untruth
  21. date — on the calendar
  22. squash — the sport
  23. squash — the vegetable
  24. lash — to lash out

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